Question Time AU

Bill Debate · Second Reading

Higher Education Support Amendment (Reverse Job-Ready Graduates Fee Hikes and End 50k Arts Degrees) Bill 2025; Second Reading

Senate · Tuesday 25 November 2025

Official Hansard for this day (APH) · Read this debate on OpenAustralia

At a glance

Senator Mehreen Faruqi introduced the Greens' bill to reverse fee increases for humanities and social science degrees implemented under the Job-Ready Graduates package. Faruqi argued that the current fee structure imposes excessive debt on students and undermines the value of arts education, citing calls for reform from Labor MPs and public figures. The senator urged the government to act on its own previous criticisms of the policy and the findings of the Universities Accord. The debate was adjourned with leave granted for the senator to continue remarks later.

Outcome

Debate adjourned with leave granted for the senator to continue remarks later.

Summary in reported speech - not a transcript. AI-generated, so check the official record before quoting.

How the debate unfolded

Opened the debate

Mehreen Faruqi (NSW) (Australian Greens) Greens

Faruqi moved the second reading of the bill, which seeks to revert student contribution amounts for law, accounting, administration, economics, commerce, society and culture, and communications to pre-2020 levels. Faruqi argued that the Job-Ready Graduates reforms had doubled the cost of arts degrees to over $50,000, creating a punitive system that discouraged enrolment. The senator contended that the Labor government had failed to address this issue despite acknowledging the policy's flaws in the Universities Accord and facing pressure from its own backbenchers. Faruqi called for the reversal of these fees as a step toward a fully funded, free higher education system.