The federal government is facing accusations of avoiding promised reforms to reduce soaring university fees after rejecting Greens amendments that would have required a new watchdog to scrutinise student contributions. The legislation to establish the independent Australian Tertiary Education Commission (Atec) passed the Senate on Monday with several amendments, but Labor refused to support a Greens proposal that would mandate Atec to report on fees for each subject, including the controversial Job-Ready Graduates (JRG) package.
The JRG scheme, introduced in 2021 under the Morrison government, has led to arts degrees costing over $50,000 while fees for some science and mathematics degrees were slashed by up to 59%. Education Minister Jason Clare has repeatedly deferred reforms to Atec, stating at the AFR higher education summit in August that the commission would do the 'heavy lifting' to design a new funding system. However, the legislation does not require Atec to consider student contributions or explicitly mention JRG.
Universities Australia chief Luke Sheehy expressed disappointment, saying the omission 'leaves a critical gap in Atec's remit and sends a clear signal that the government is not yet prepared to fix the Job-Ready Graduates package.' He noted that JRG is 'punishing students with $50,000+ degrees and ripping close to a billion dollars a year out of universities.'
Data from Innovative Research Universities shows new enrolments from low socioeconomic backgrounds dropped by 10% between 2020 and 2024. IRU chair Professor George Williams called reforming JRG an 'urgent priority.' In response, Clare said the government has already implemented 31 of 47 recommendations from the Universities Accord, which warned JRG needed 'urgent remediation.' He added that Atec's next focus is making university 'quicker and cheaper' by cutting degree lengths for those with Tafe qualifications.
Greens higher education spokesperson Mehreen Faruqi criticised Labor for failing to overturn the 'trainwreck' policy, stating that establishing Atec without addressing JRG 'is again kicking the can down the road, while students and young people suffer under the weight of massive fees and crushing debt.'
