One vote in it: Crossbench considers controversial university funding laws

The fate of the Morrison government's controversial university funding reforms could hinge on the support of Senator Jacqui Lambie or Centre Alliance's Stirling Griff, with the bill's passage poised to be decided by a single vote.

A snap senate inquiry returned its verdict on Friday, recommending the bill be passed without amendment but urged the government to commit to reviewing the bill two years after it commences.

Tasmanian Senator Jacqui Lambie could decide the fate of the government's university funding reforms.Credit: Alex Ellinghausen

However, there was considerable dissent among the inquiry's six members. Labor Senators Louise Pratt and Deborah O'Neill and Greens Senator Mehreen Faruqi opposed the findings, forcing Liberal Senator James McGrath to use his position as chair to determine the majority verdict.

Senators Lambie and Griff, who are yet to reveal how they will vote on the Job-Ready Graduates bill, are expected to come under intense lobbying from all sides, as the government seeks to push the bill to a vote as early as budget week on October 6.

Centre Alliance education spokeswoman Rebekha Sharkie said she and Senator Griff, both of whom are from South Australia, would closely review the inquiry's findings before determining the party's final position.

"We will take the weekend and early next week to review the report and finalise our position," Ms Sharkie said.

Senator Lambie, from Tasmania, is also keeping her cards close to her chest. A spokeswoman said on Friday that Senator Lambie "will be going over the report with a fine-toothed comb and is considering all aspects very carefully."

A key factor distinguishing the two senators' positions is the view of their respective university sectors. The three South Australian universities have all expressed significant concerns with the bill, while University of Tasmania vice-chancellor Rufus Black has been a key supporter of the reforms.

The government needs to secure three crossbench votes in the Senate to legislate the reforms, but One Nation is expected to use its two votes to back the bill. In June, Senate Pauline Hanson called the reforms "a great idea".

The reform package proposes a major restructuring of university funding by hiking fees for some courses, including by 113 per cent for humanities, in order to pay for cuts to STEM, nursing and teaching courses.

The government says the changes will fund an extra 100,000 university places for domestic students by 2030, while cheaper fees in certain fields will deliver more graduates in areas of expected job growth.

Peak body Universities Australia says the reforms will see total funding per student decrease by six per cent on average.

Education Minister Dan Tehan welcomed the inquiry's findings, saying he looked forward to the "support of the Senate in passing the Job-Ready Graduates legislation to give more Australians the opportunity to benefit from a university education."

Independent crossbench Senator Rex Patrick, who participated in the inquiry, made clear he would not vote for the bill, stating in a dissenting report that it "cannot be salvaged."

"Anyone who thinks so is kidding themselves, or worse, being quite disingenuous. It’s not the case of Minister Tehan sitting the exam again, he’s got to go back and repeat the course,' Senator Patrick wrote in the report.

Labor Senators Kim Carr, Louise Pratt and Deborah O'Neill also dissented, saying the bill was "so deeply flawed it cannot be repaired with amendments".

The view among universities is split, with large metropolitan universities such as the University of Sydney and UNSW opposing key elements of the bill.

Meanwhile regional universities have broadly welcomed the reforms, which includes a number of targeted measures for their institutions, including funding for a 3.5 per cent growth in places and a new $50 million regional research fund.

Chair of the Regional Universities Network, and vice chancellor of the University of the Sunshine Coast, Helen Bartlett, said 3.5 per cent growth could deliver up to 6000 places at regional campuses.

"If 6,000 more students from regional, rural and remote NSW, Victoria and Queensland
attended RUN universities, an additional 690 jobs would be generated and $122 million
more contributed to real GDP," Professor Bartlett said.