12th Sep 2007, 11:03 AM – Representatives Higher Education Endowment Fund Bill 2007 - Second Reading - Keep the motion to read a bill for a second time unchanged

This division relates to the Policy For increasing funding to university education.

The majority voted in favour of a motion "That the words proposed to be omitted (Mr Stephen Smith’s amendment) stand part of the question." In other words, the majority wanted the original motion to remain unchanged.

The original motion was "That this bill be now read a second time."(Read more about the stages that a bill must pass through to become law here. )

Mr Smith's amendment to that motion was: "That all words after “That” be omitted with a view to substituting the following words:“whilst not declining to give the bill a second reading the House: (1) welcomes the fact that the Higher Education Endowment Fund, like the Future Fund, is for investment in Australia’s long-term national interests;"

Background to the bill

The Bill was introduced to establish the Higher Education Endowment Fund (HEEF), from which earnings from investments will be used to make grants of financial assistance to eligible higher education institutions in relation to capital expenditure and/or research facilities.(Read more about the bill in its bills digest (164 KB). Its explanatory memorandum is available here.)