The Senate will vote today on a motion by Senator Sarah Henderson proposing another public hearing into the Education Services for Overseas Students Amendment (Quality and Integrity) Bill 2024 on 2 October. The motion, if passed, will also allow for new submissions to the Senate Committee up to 26 September, and extends the timing of the report to 8 October. This is following a heated session in the Senate yesterday in which the Greens and Liberal Party clashed on accusations of ‘racism’, but ultimately agreed that the Government’s proposed international student caps are a mess.
At the same time, the opposition to proposed caps from within the international education sector continues to be overwhelming, with a petition against caps gaining momentum with more than 4700 signatures.
The petition raises the concerns of mass job losses and economic devastation, curtailment of students’ consumer rights and escalation of asylum applications, unchecked ministerial powers and the risk of abuse that will be caused by the ESOS Amendment Bill if it is passed.
One of the organisers of the petition, Indra Adhikari, Senior Manager – Business Development and Strategy, Holmes Institute, said “I am of the view that introduction of caps to education providers and the industry as a whole is a positive provided it is done in a modelled, balanced and sustainable way, which includes sector consultation and protects one of Australia’s success industries following the Covid 19 Pandemic. But that’s not the case as it’s being rushed just to gain political mileage in the lead up to the election.”
The petition calls for the Parliament to halt the destruction of jobs and the economy, delay the Bill to be amended and to establish a clear mechanism within the ESOS Bill, limit ministerial powers.
A copy of the petition is available here.
The Koala will report on the outcome of the Senate’s vote later today.
Text of Senator Henderson’s motion:
*615 Senator Henderson: To move—That—
- the Senate notes that:
- the Education and Employment Legislation Committee (the committee) has not been able to scrutinise the international student caps provided to the vocational and education training sector as part of its inquiry into the provisions of the Education Services for Overseas Students Amendment (Quality and Integrity) Bill 2024 (the inquiry), and
- some information sought by the committee in relation to the bill is still outstanding;
- the Senate directs the committee to:
- accept further submissions in relation to the inquiry until close of business on 26 September 2024, and
- hold a public hearing in Canberra on 2 October 2024 between the hours of 9 am and 4 pm to take evidence, including from the Department of Education, the Department of Home Affairs and the Department of Treasury, as part of the inquiry; and
- the time for the presentation of the committee’s report be extended to 8 October 2024.
