Summary

Edit

The majority voted in favour of a motion to agree with the bills' main idea. In parliamentary jargon, they voted to read the bills for a second time. This means that they can now discuss them in more detail.

What is the bills' main idea?

According to the bills digest, the two bills were introduced:

to create a framework for the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA), Australia’s independent national higher education regulator, to begin phasing-in cost recovery arrangements from 1 January 2022.

In other words, the bill will allow TEQSA to seek more money from universities to cover certain government costs in respect to the tertiary sector. Read the bills digest for more detail on what costs will be recovered from universities.

This bill is controversial in light of the dire financial situation most Australian universities are now in, mostly due to a combination of government funding cuts and COVID-related drops in international student intakes.

Votes Passed by a small majority

Nobody rebelled against their party.

Party Votes
Australian Greens (33% turnout) 0 Yes 3 No
Sarah Hanson-Young SA No
Nick McKim Tasmania No
Peter Whish-Wilson Tasmania No
Mehreen Faruqi NSW Absent
Janet Rice Victoria Absent
Rachel Siewert WA Absent
Jordon Steele-John WA Absent
Lidia Thorpe Victoria Absent
Larissa Waters Queensland Absent
Australian Labor Party (24% turnout) 0 Yes 6 No
Carol Brown Tasmania No
Kim Carr Victoria No
Anthony Chisholm Queensland No
Katy Gallagher ACT No
Louise Pratt WA No
Anne Urquhart Tasmania No
Tim Ayres NSW Absent
Catryna Bilyk Tasmania Absent
Raff Ciccone Victoria Absent
Patrick Dodson WA Absent
Don Farrell SA Absent
Alex Gallacher SA Absent
Nita Green Queensland Absent
Kristina Keneally NSW Absent
Kimberley Kitching Victoria Absent
Jenny McAllister NSW Absent
Malarndirri McCarthy NT Absent
Deborah O'Neill NSW Absent
Helen Polley Tasmania Absent
Tony Sheldon NSW Absent
Marielle Smith SA Absent
Glenn Sterle WA Absent
Jess Walsh Victoria Absent
Murray Watt Queensland Absent
Penny Wong SA Absent
Stirling Griff SA Centre Alliance Absent
Sam McMahon NT Country Liberal Party Yes
Sue Lines WA Deputy President No
Rex Patrick SA Independent No
Jacqui Lambie Tasmania Jacqui Lambie Network No
Liberal National Party (50% turnout) 1 Yes 0 No
James McGrath Queensland Yes
Matthew Canavan Queensland Absent
Liberal Party (28% turnout) 8 Yes 0 No
Slade Brockman WA Yes
Michaelia Cash WA Yes
Jane Hume Victoria Yes
Marise Payne NSW Yes
Anne Ruston SA Yes
Zed Seselja ACT Yes
Ben Small WA Yes
Dean Smith WA Yes
Eric Abetz Tasmania Absent
Alex Antic SA Absent
Wendy Askew Tasmania Absent
Simon Birmingham SA Absent
Andrew Bragg NSW Absent
Claire Chandler Tasmania Absent
Richard Colbeck Tasmania Absent
Jonathon Duniam Tasmania Absent
David Fawcett SA Absent
Concetta Fierravanti-Wells NSW Absent
Sarah Henderson Victoria Absent
Hollie Hughes NSW Absent
Andrew McLachlan SA Absent
Jim Molan NSW Absent
Matt O'Sullivan WA Absent
James Paterson Victoria Absent
Gerard Rennick Queensland Absent
Linda Reynolds WA Absent
Paul Scarr Queensland Absent
Amanda Stoker Queensland Absent
David Van Victoria Absent
National Party (67% turnout) 2 Yes 0 No
Perin Davey NSW Yes
Bridget McKenzie Victoria Yes
Susan McDonald Queensland Absent
Pauline Hanson's One Nation Party (50% turnout) 1 Yes 0 No
Malcolm Roberts Queensland Yes
Pauline Hanson Queensland Absent
Scott Ryan Victoria President Yes
Totals (34% turnout) 14 Yes – 12 No