19th Jun 2023, 6:05 PM – Senate Education Legislation Amendment (Startup Year and Other Measures) Bill 2023 - Second Reading - Tertiary education & student debt

The majority voted against adding the text below to the usual second reading motion, which is "that the bill be read a second time". To read the bill a second time is to agree with the bill's main idea. The motion was introduced by NSW Senator Mehreen Faruqi (Greens).

Amendment text

At the end of the motion, add ", but the Senate notes that this bill does nothing to mitigate the student debt crisis at a time when student debts are increasing at an out-of-control pace, and calls on the Government to:

(a) recognise that education is a public good which should be free and universal;

(b) make university and TAFE fee-free; and

(c) wipe all student debt".