Universities are cutting courses and slashing jobs. The combined blows of COVID-19 and funding cuts are devastating. We should prioritise and expand education in languages and cultures, especially those in the Asia-Pacific, and reject these harsh, nonsensical cuts to language programs.

In its submission to the job-ready graduates bill inquiry, the Languages and Cultures Network for Australian Universities said:

Exclude universities from the legislation

I move:

(1) Clause 7, page 9 (lines 6 and 7), omit paragraph (7) (e).

(2) Clause 7, page 9 (after line 12), after paragraph (h), insert:

(ha) a university established by, or under, a law of a State or a Territory; or

(3) Clause 10, page 11 (line 28), omit "paragraph 7(d), (e) or (f)", substitute "paragraph 7(d) or (f)".

I rise to speak to the Australia's Foreign Relations (State and Territory Arrangements) Bill 2020. The Greens will be opposing this ill-thought-out overreach by the government, which comes before us after a rushed and insufficient consultation process. Senator Rice's contribution and dissenting report to the limited inquiry into this legislation reflect the broader terminal issues with this legislation. I want to highlight the impact it will have on the work of our universities.

The Greens have responded to new ABS data showing an alarming drop in women studying at university in 2020 as compared to 2019.

Senator Mehreen Faruqi, Greens spokesperson for Education, said:

“I’ve said from the very start that women have borne the brunt of the impacts of Covid-19.

The Greens support this motion. With hundreds of thousands of jobs lost and more than a million people unemployed and already stagnant wages, it's clear that we need massive investment in secure, sustainable and rewarding jobs if we are to rebuild after this crisis into a just society. This can't be done without generational investment in education and training to equip people in communities with the skills that they need. Whether you're just leaving school, you're between jobs in a recession or you're looking to retrain, you have the right to a world-class education.

Over the last few months I've been participating in the Senate inquiry into unlawful underpayment of employees' remuneration, otherwise known as wage theft. This inquiry is soon going to focus on wage theft in Australian universities. Following the series of investigative pieces published by the ABC's national education reporter, Conor Duffy, and in response to my own questions to the Fair Work Commission, I have referred 13 universities to make submissions and give evidence to the inquiry. Most of them have now made written submissions.

Australian Greens Education spokesperson Senator Mehreen Faruqi has said that Labor’s Budget in Reply commitment to increase child care subsidies and move towards a 90 per cent universal subsidy would be an improvement on the current system, but the party should go all the way and make early childhood education fee-free.

Senator Faruqi said:

Australian Greens Education spokesperson Senator Mehreen Faruqi has said that the Liberal National Government has condemned Australian higher education to a bleak future that will be difficult to salvage.

The costs of university education have been shifted substantially onto students and away from the Commonwealth, with dire consequences for student debt and public funding of university for years to come.

Senator Faruqi said:

Senator FARUQI (New South Wales) (12:55): Mr President, I request that the amendments on sheets RV130 and RV133 be put separately.

The PRESIDENT: So you're voting separately on those amendments?

Senator FARUQI: Yes.

The PRESIDENT: Would you like amendments (1) to (4) on sheet RV133 put separately or do you want (1) and (4) put separately?

I rise on behalf of the Greens to say that we will be vehemently opposing this disgraceful government's motion to guillotine a bill that hikes fees for universities and cuts funding for universities. We will not even have time to go to the committee stage and debate the ream of amendments that this government sent through just an hour ago. Shame on Centre Alliance and shame on One Nation for some petty deals that they've done, which Minister Birmingham defined as 'minor technical amendments to this legislation'. You've been taken for a massive ride, you know?