I move:

That the Senate—

(a) notes that the first week of September was Early Learning Matters Week, which highlights how early childhood education supports the well-being of our children, families and society; and

(b) supports a well-resourced and accessibly early childhood education system with professional pay for staff.

HANSARD LINK

Australian Greens Senator and Education Spokesperson, Dr Mehreen Faruqi, has welcomed Early Learning Matters Week and called for the Morrison Government to commit to supporting the sector, including by introducing funding certainty, guaranteeing all three and four year olds access to 24 hours of early childhood education a week and supporting early childhood workers with professional pay.

Senator Faruqi said:

“Early Learning Matters Week is a great opportunity to highlight how early childhood education supports the well-being of our children, families and society.

Australian Greens Senator and Education Spokesperson, Dr Mehreen Faruqi, has commented on reported details of university performance-based funding measures. Senator Faruqi is a former academic with the University of New South Wales. 

Senator Faruqi said:

“The Government’s plan to tie measly funding increases to misguided performance measures is just the latest episode in their storied history of undermining higher education in Australia. It is just another excuse to not fund higher education properly. 

Australian Greens Senator and Education Spokesperson, Dr Mehreen Faruqi, has commented on the revelations that Australian universities have been signing agreements with Confucius Institutes that could limit academic freedom and autonomy. Senator Faruqi is a former academic with the University of New South Wales. 
 
Senator Faruqi said:
 
“It is completely outrageous for universities to be making agreements with any institution that would seek to influence and limit academic freedom and autonomy. 
 

Students are struggling to get by. This government has abandoned students to face the high cost of living and the extreme stress just by themselves. As a former academic I have firsthand experience of the sacrifices that students make to study, including working up to four jobs just to make ends meet. It is deeply distressing that one in four students experiences food insecurity, and it is outrageous that they regularly go without food and other necessities.

Australian Greens Senator and Spokesperson for Education, Dr Mehreen Faruqi, has said that new TAFE data released today shows the continued decline of TAFE and must be a wake up call to save TAFE.

A new report by the National Centre for Vocational Education Research has shown that for government funded vocational education: student numbers have dropped 1.9%, subject enrolments have dropped 5.7%, and training hours have dropped 6.4%.

I’ll start by acknowledging the traditional custodians of the land we are gathered on and pay my respects to elders past, present and emerging. This land was never ceded. It is, always was, and always will be Aboriginal land.

It is such a privilege to be here with you, talking about education and organising for change – two of my passions. I feel really honoured to be the spokesperson on Education for The Australian Greens.

From our first steps to retirement, the opportunity to learn and discover unlocks our potential and helps us live a good life.

Australian Greens Senator and Spokesperson for Education, Dr Mehreen Faruqi, has responded to today’s release of the 2018 Higher Education Accommodation and Financial Stress Survey that shows high levels of student financial and psychological distress.

The survey found:

Senator FARUQI (New South Wales) (14:40): My question is to Minister Birmingham, the minister representing the Minister for Education. Minister, in the last three years, your government has slashed the repayment threshold for study loans by nearly 20 per cent, in effect cutting the pay of low-income workers. Just this week, the government slugged another 136,000 Australians by cutting the threshold by another $6,000.

Australian Greens Senator and Education Spokesperson, Dr Mehreen Faruqi, has said that today's changes to study and training loan repayment thresholds will negatively affect low income workers.

From July 1, 2019, the new minimum HELP repayment threshold will be $45,881, down from $51,957 in 2018-19.

Senator Faruqi said: