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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2000 Week 9 Hansard (7 September) . . Page.. 3019 ..

MR BERRY (continuing):

At this point I foreshadow that I will be moving an amendment, which I have circulated, in relation to the definition of "university". I will refer to this matter when we come to the detail stage-and by the look of things, that will take place shortly. This bill proposes a welcome change and, as I said, we will be supporting it.

MS TUCKER (4.40): The Greens will also be supporting this bill. The increased emphasis on the use of private providers in the field of training and higher education has put substantial pressure on government in regard to quality assurance. The purpose of this bill is to prevent the advertising of non-accredited higher education courses. Of course, misleading advertising in a freshly privatised and expanding market will often be a problem. Indeed, one could argue that it is in the nature of a privatised and deregulated or partially regulated education market that advertising and promotion will often be of greater importance to the providers than the quality of the product they promote.

The ACT Greens are pleased to see the government working at a national level in taking this action. I am very concerned about the impact of private providers on the public sector, particularly bearing in mind the approach of the federal government and this government to public providers. That is a separate issue to a degree. This, in a way, is another issue because it is about trying to ensure quality in the private sector.

There are, however, still some real issues about what happens to our society when private providers take over to such an extent that the viability of the public providers is diminished. Obviously, what is at the heart of that question is whether or not, as a society, we have high-quality, free educational opportunities for everybody in the ACT, or in Australia for that matter.

I think we have a serious issue in Australia at the moment in respect of federal and local policy on private versus public providers. I do not think there is a real commitment from either government to equity of access to education. But at least this legislation is trying to ensure as much as possible that the private providers provide a good service.

A lot of government commitment and resources is required to ensure that quality control mechanisms work. I am not quite satisfied either that that is happening properly. But at least this legislation acknowledges the need for that.

MR RUGENDYKE (4.43): Mr Speaker, I wish to speak briefly in this debate. I also support this sensible amendment to the act. It is appropriate that bona fide universities are properly accredited in the ACT by the appropriate authority. I note from my research that it is important that we close the loophole that has been referred to. We have been told that Greenwich University is an unauthorised institution that has apparently been known to confer degrees and doctorates for a fee around the world. We certainly do not want that sort of thing devaluing our fine universities and higher education facilities here in the ACT. I support the bill.

MR STEFANIAK (Minister for Education) (4.44), in reply: I will speak to Mr Berry's amendment when we come to the detail stage. I also intend to move an amendment on the same point.

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