National Student Ombudsman Levy Bill 2026 Second Reading Speech

Mr Speaker, this is the first of two bills I will introduce today relating to the funding of the National Student Ombudsman.

The National Student Ombudsman opened its doors in February last year.

It had been a long time coming.

Students and advocates had been calling for one for decades.

The Universities Accord recommended that we establish one.

The Action Plan Addressing Gender-based Violence in Higher Education agreed by all Australian education Ministers called for it too.

And this Government acted.

For over a year now, students across the country have had access to an effective, trauma-informed and independent service focused on them.

It has strong investigative powers, similar to those of a Royal Commission, to investigate a broad range of complaints.

It can bring parties together to resolve issues, it can offer restorative engagement processes and alternative dispute resolution processes where appropriate.

And it can make findings and recommendations for university action and monitor the implementation of those recommendations.

It doesn’t cost students anything.

But it can make a big difference for them.

We’re now seeing some of those results.

As at 31 August 2026, the National Student Ombudsman had received 7,690 student contacts since it opened its doors.

And it had resolved 6,016 – 78 per cent.

These were complaints which, before the establishment of the National Student Ombudsman, had to be made through a web of individual university complaint systems, or state and territory ombudsmen.

Or no doubt in many cases, not made at all.

That’s why the work of the National Student Ombudsman is so important.

It has given students a voice in the matters that concern them when they walk through the gates of our universities.

And its effect is felt beyond our students.

It’s helping our universities too.

The work of the Ombudsman supports best practice amongst higher education providers.

As one of its statutory functions, it educates the sector on best practice for the handling of complaints.

80 per cent of higher education providers surveyed by the National Student Ombudsman say that they are implementing systems and making service improvements following their advice.

It’s working. For students and for higher education providers.

And it’s important that it be set up to continue working into the future.

The Australian Government has funded the National Student Ombudsman during its establishment phase. It is now appropriate to move to a cost recovery model.

That’s what this bill and its associated bill do.

It establishes the legislative framework to introduce a levy on higher education providers to recover the costs of administering the National Student Ombudsman.

The associated bill which I will introduce in a moment will amend the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency Act to provide for collection arrangements associated with the levy and its payment. It also allows for penalties for late payment.

The method for calculation of the amount of the levy will be set out in Regulations to this bill following further consultation with the sector. The bill makes clear that this will be on a costs-recovery basis.

This move to a cost-recovery model has been part of the design of the National Student Ombudsman since we began discussions with the sector about it in March 2024 and my Department will continue to work with the sector in finalising the methodology for the levy.

Our intent is that the levy will commence from 1 January 2027.

It will ensure students can continue to access the National Student Ombudsman free of charge, and that the costs of providing this critical service are borne fairly by higher education providers.

Most importantly, it will ensure that the work of the National Student Ombudsman continues into the future.

I commend the bill to the House.