Second Reading Speech Education Legislation Amendment (Integrity and Other Measures) Bill 2025

Mr Speaker,

This Bill makes a number of changes to improve integrity, improve access and improve the information we collect about the education system.

First, it strengthens the integrity of the international education sector.

Second, it expands access for Indigenous students to study medicine by uncapping Commonwealth Supported Places in medical courses.

And third, it introduces measures in early childhood education and care to improve data collection and strengthen the integrity of subsidy administration.

International education measures

Mr Speaker,

International education is an important national asset. 

It brings tens of billions of dollars into the economy each year. 

It also builds friendships and long-term connections around the world.

And in the world we live in this is more important than ever.

But it is also a target for unscrupulous individuals trying to make a quick buck.

In September 2022 we announced the Parkinson Review of the Migration System.

And in January 2023 the Nixon Rapid Review into the Exploitation of Australia’s Visa System.

These reviews identified integrity issues in international education, and we moved quickly on a number of recommendations of those reviews. 

This Bill is the next step. 

The reviews made it clear we have a problem with collusive and unscrupulous practices between some agents and providers.

In response, the Bill inserts a new definition of “education agent” which better captures their activities. 

It strengthens the “fit and proper” test for providers. 

This means that greater scrutiny will apply where there are cross-ownership arrangements between providers and agents, and where providers are under investigation for serious offences.

It also inserts a definition of “education agent commission”. This will allow for complementary amendments to be made to the National Code of Practice for Providers of Education and Training to Overseas Students 2018 to ban commissions from being paid to education agents for onshore student transfers.

And it gives the Education Department clearer powers to collect and share information on commissions. This will help providers to choose reputable agents and shut out those who put students at risk.

The Minister for Education will also be able to pause new applications for providers or course registration for up to 12 months where needed, so agencies can focus resources on integrity issues.

The Bill also requires prospective providers to first deliver courses to domestic students for two years before they can apply to teach overseas students as evidence of their commitment to quality education.

The registration of providers that fail to deliver a course to overseas students for 12 consecutive months will also be cancelled to help deal with ‘phoenixing’.

The Bill also allows, with agreement from the Minister for Skills and Training, the Minister for Education to suspend or cancel courses with systemic quality issues, limited skills value, or where needed in the public interest. 

Together, these reforms make it harder for dodgy operators to enter or remain in the sector, while supporting the majority of providers who are doing the right thing.

The Bill also amends the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency Act (TEQSA).

Providers will now require authorisation from TEQSA to deliver Australian degrees offshore. 

This means that students who study with an Australian provider overseas will have the same confidence in the quality of an Australian qualification as those who study here.

Authorised providers will need to notify TEQSA of new or changed offshore delivery arrangements and report annually on their activities. This will give regulators the information they need to monitor quality and address risks early.

The amendments are designed to provide oversight of offshore arrangements while also minimising the regulatory burden on Australian providers.

The amendments are light-touch, set transitional arrangements that take into account existing offshore arrangements, and utilise information that providers already hold.

These changes safeguard our reputation as a world leader in education, here and overseas.

Indigenous medical students measure

Mr Speaker,

Indigenous Australians are significantly underrepresented in our health workforce.

They account for 3.8 per cent of the population, but only 1.25 per cent of the health workforce.

That percentage is even lower amongst doctors. 

Less than 1 per cent of doctors identified as Indigenous.

The Universities Accord recommended that we uncap Commonwealth Supported Places for Indigenous medical students to help address this.

In the election earlier this year we promised to do this.

This Bill delivers on that promise.

It means every Indigenous student who meets the entry requirements for medicine will have a Commonwealth Supported Place.

Evidence shows Indigenous Australians are more likely to have a positive healthcare experience from an Indigenous healthcare worker because of their unique skill sets and cultural knowledge and understanding.

We also know that Indigenous doctors are more likely to work in Indigenous community health services and in regional, rural and remote areas. 

These communities also have some of the highest demand for doctors in the country.

This is an important reform that will help increase the number of Indigenous doctors in Australia.

Last year we uncapped funding for all Indigenous students enrolling in non-medical bachelor degrees at a public university.

It has already had a positive impact.

Last year the number of Indigenous students enrolled in a university course increased by five per cent.

This year it increased by a further three per cent.

Next year we will take the next step and expand this demand driven system to all Australians from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Early childhood education and care measures

Mr Speaker,

The third part of this Bill strengthens integrity and transparency in early childhood education and care.

Every year the Australian Government invests more than $16 billion in the Child Care Subsidy.

We are committed to building a universal early childhood education and care system that is safe, affordable and accessible for every family.

To do that we need a better understanding of the costs of delivering early education and care.

And this Bill will help us do that.

In MYEFO last year we committed $10.4 million over two years for the Early Education Service Delivery Prices project. 

This Bill gives that project the legislative support it needs.

It amends the Family Assistance Administration Act to allow the Secretary of my Department to compel providers that are constitutional corporations – if necessary – to provide cost-related data.

Data will be sought voluntarily in the first instance. But this power is important to help ensure that information is accurate, comprehensive and representative.

Getting a better understanding of the reasonable costs to deliver early childhood education and care services around the country will help us to deliver evidence-based reforms.

The Bill also makes three further changes in early education and care.

It expands the ability to use and disclose protected information, strengthening data governance, supporting transparency and ensuring continuity in reporting.

The Bill also aligns the date of effect of Child Care Subsidy reconciliation decisions with the date they take effect in the Child Care Subsidy system and in line with policy intent. 

This fixes inconsistencies that have been an issue since 2018, leading to over and under-payments.

Conclusion

Mr Speaker,

In conclusion, this Bill:

• Strengthens the integrity of our international education sector
• It helps increase the number of Indigenous doctors, and
• It will improve data collection and the integrity of our early education and care system.

All important and necessary reforms, and I commend them to the House.