This bill became law on Feb 20th, 2023.
Education & skills
Students who started a degree before 1 January 2021 and then moved into a related honours year can keep the older, lower student contribution rates from 2021 onward.
Job-ready Graduates rules left some honours and transferred students who should have kept lower fees facing higher charges, while rural and remote areas still struggled to attract health practitioners. The bill fixes the fee-protection gap, requires refunds or HELPThe government loan system students use to defer some study costs, and the debt that rural health workers may have reduced under this bill. re-credits for overcharged students, and lets eligible rural doctors and nurse practitioners cut or clear their HELPThe government loan system students use to defer some study costs, and the debt that rural health workers may have reduced under this bill. debts.
From 1 January 2021, the Job-ready Graduates changes altered student contribution rates but left gaps in grandfathering rules, so some honours students and students forced to transfer after a course was discontinued could be charged more than intended, while rural, remote and very remote communities were still struggling to attract and keep doctors and nurse practitioners. The bill responded by restoring those fee protections with refunds or HELPThe government loan system students use to defer some study costs, and the debt that rural health workers may have reduced under this bill. re-credits where students had been overcharged and by reviving a previously announced rural health HELPThe government loan system students use to defer some study costs, and the debt that rural health workers may have reduced under this bill. debt reduction scheme, before Parliament passed it in February 2023 and it received Royal AssentThe final step that turns a bill into an Act of Parliament, which is why these changes became law on 20 February 2023. on 20 February 2023.
The main criticism was that the bill's rural HELPThe government loan system students use to defer some study costs, and the debt that rural health workers may have reduced under this bill. debt relief was too narrow and too small to solve deeper shortages in regional healthcare on its own. That concern came from supportive crossbench and coalition speakers, who backed the bill but pressed for broader workforce reform, stronger incentives and review of whether other shortage professions should also be covered.
Hon Jason Clare MP introduced this bill. It passed on the voices.
Did it become law?
Yes
Became law 20 Feb 2023
Final passage
Passed without a counted vote
1 recorded amendment or procedural vote was found, but no counted vote on the bill itself was recorded.
Passage speed
102 days
From introduction to the latest recorded parliamentary step
Meaning
Students who started a degree before 1 January 2021 and then moved into a related honours year can keep the older, lower student contribution rates from 2021 onward.
Students whose university discontinued their course from 1 January 2021 are still treated as protected continuing students instead of losing their lower fee status.
Universities must repay or re-credit students who were overcharged after these fee protections are backdated, and the Australian Government can recover related overpayments from universities.
Eligible doctors and nurse practitioners working in rural, remote or very remote Australia can get their HELPThe government loan system students use to defer some study costs, and the debt that rural health workers may have reduced under this bill. debt reduced or wiped, and can also have indexationThe yearly increase applied to HELP debts for inflation; this bill lets some eligible rural health workers avoid that increase while they do qualifying work. reduced while they do that work.
The new rural health HELPThe government loan system students use to defer some study costs, and the debt that rural health workers may have reduced under this bill. debt program must be independently reviewed, with each review report tabled in Parliament and followed by a written ministerial response.
The relevant amendment applies on and after the commencement of this item in relation to a person who undertakes a unit of study in an ongoing course or an honours course that has a census date on or after 1 January 2021, whether the person enrolled in that unit of study before, on or after the commencement of that item.Higher Education Support Amendment (2022 Measures No. 1) Act 2023 final Act text
This is a technical amendment to clarify that a student whose course of study is discontinued by their provider, and who is forced to transfer to a new course of study from 1 January 2021, will be treated as a grandfathered student. These students are already grandfathered under HESA as they are already considered to be in a ‘restructured course’; however, this amendment puts this beyond doubt and provides clarity and certainty for students and providers.Higher Education Support Amendment (2022 Measures No. 1) explanatory memorandum
To ensure the seamless and beneficial transition of these amendments in relation to students affected retrospectively (defined as ‘affected students’), the Bill also includes application and transitional provisions which set out the steps that a higher education provider must take in respect of an affected student for units that form part of the relevant honours course with a census date in the period from 1 January 2021 to the commencement of the relevant provisions in the Bill (the ‘transition period’). The actions the higher education provider must take will depend on whether the student has made a full up-front, partial up-front or no upfront payment of the student contribution amount as well as the amount of any up-front payments made, and include a re-credit of an affected student’s HELP balance and/or a refund of an excess up-front payment amount to the student. Compliance with the application and transitional provisions is taken to be a condition of a grant made to a higher education provider under Part 2‑2 of HESA. Further, the Bill enables the Minister to make transitional rules relating to the amendments, or repeals, made by the Bill, with certain limits imposed. This is also intended to be a beneficial measure for affected students.Higher Education Support Amendment (2022 Measures No. 1) explanatory memorandum
The Bill will also introduce new provisions to HESA to partially or completely reduce outstanding HELP debts for eligible health practitioners working in rural, remote or very remote Australia. The measure also allows for the waiver of indexation in relation to eligible health practitioners’ HELP debts while they are completing eligible work in a rural, remote, or very remote area.Higher Education Support Amendment (2022 Measures No. 1) explanatory memorandum
(b) cause a copy of the statement to be tabled in each House of the Parliament within 30 sitting days of that House after the copy of the report is tabled in that House.Higher Education Support Amendment (2022 Measures No. 1) Act 2023 final Act text
Context
From 1 January 2021, the Job-ready Graduates changes altered student contribution rates but left gaps in grandfathering rules, so some honours students and students forced to transfer after a course was discontinued could be charged more than intended, while rural, remote and very remote communities were still struggling to attract and keep doctors and nurse practitioners. The bill responded by restoring those fee protections with refunds or HELPThe government loan system students use to defer some study costs, and the debt that rural health workers may have reduced under this bill. re-credits where students had been overcharged and by reviving a previously announced rural health HELPThe government loan system students use to defer some study costs, and the debt that rural health workers may have reduced under this bill. debt reduction scheme, before Parliament passed it in February 2023 and it received Royal AssentThe final step that turns a bill into an Act of Parliament, which is why these changes became law on 20 February 2023. on 20 February 2023.
Job-ready Graduates fee changes begin
New student contribution arrangements started and existing students were meant to be protected from higher charges through grandfathering rules.
Higher Education Support Amendment (2022 Measures No. 1) explanatory memorandum ↗Rural doctors and nurse practitioners HELPThe government loan system students use to defer some study costs, and the debt that rural health workers may have reduced under this bill. debt plan is announced
The measure was announced in the 2021-22 MYEFOThe government budget update where the rural doctor and nurse practitioner HELP plan was first announced. to encourage health practitioners to move to and stay in rural, remote and very remote Australia.
Hansard ↗Bill is introduced to fix grandfathering gaps and revive the rural HELPThe government loan system students use to defer some study costs, and the debt that rural health workers may have reduced under this bill. measure
The minister said the bill would deliver fairer grandfathering for affected students and support rural communities by encouraging doctors and nurse practitioners to work there.
Hansard ↗House passes the bill
The House approved the bill after debate that highlighted unintended fee outcomes under Job-ready Graduates and the need to strengthen rural health access.
Parliamentary timeline ↗Parliament passes the bill
Both houses agreed on the same text, completing passage of measures to backdate fee protection fixes and create the rural health HELPThe government loan system students use to defer some study costs, and the debt that rural health workers may have reduced under this bill. debt reduction scheme.
Parliamentary timeline ↗Royal AssentThe final step that turns a bill into an Act of Parliament, which is why these changes became law on 20 February 2023. makes the changes law
Royal AssentThe final step that turns a bill into an Act of Parliament, which is why these changes became law on 20 February 2023. turned the bill into an Act, allowing overcharged students to be refunded or re-credited and the new rural practitioner support scheme to proceed.
Parliamentary timeline ↗Legislative route
The bill was formally presented to the chamber and read a first time, which starts its parliamentary journey.
Introduced and read a first time
A minister or sponsoring member moved the second reading, opening the main debate on the bill's purpose and principles.
Second reading moved
The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
The chamber considered amendments before the bill moved to the next stage.
Consideration in detail debate
The chamber agreed to the bill at third reading, which completed passage through that chamber. Later message exchanges with the other chamber were still recorded afterwards.
Third reading agreed to
The bill was formally presented to the chamber and read a first time, which starts its parliamentary journey.
Introduced and read a first time
A minister or sponsoring member moved the second reading, opening the main debate on the bill's purpose and principles.
Second reading moved
The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
The chamber agreed to the bill at second reading, meaning it accepted the bill in principle and allowed it to continue.
Second reading agreed to
The chamber considered amendments before the bill moved to the next stage.
Committee of the Whole debate
The chamber agreed to the bill at third reading, which completed passage through that chamber.
Third reading agreed to
The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
The House dealt with Senate amendments or requests so both chambers could settle the bill in the same form.
Consideration of Senate message
Both houses passed the bill in the same form, completing parliamentary passage.
Finally passed both Houses
The Governor-General gave Royal AssentThe final step that turns a bill into an Act of Parliament, which is why these changes became law on 20 February 2023., turning the bill into an Act.
Key criticism
The main criticism was that the bill's rural HELPThe government loan system students use to defer some study costs, and the debt that rural health workers may have reduced under this bill. debt relief was too narrow and too small to solve deeper shortages in regional healthcare on its own. That concern came from supportive crossbench and coalition speakers, who backed the bill but pressed for broader workforce reform, stronger incentives and review of whether other shortage professions should also be covered.
No party represented in the debate opposed the bill, but support was often framed as conditional or incomplete.
Too limited to fix the workforce problem
Speakers argued the debt relief scheme may helpThe government loan system students use to defer some study costs, and the debt that rural health workers may have reduced under this bill., but by itself it would not fix the wider shortage of GPs and other clinicians in rural and remote areas without broader health workforce reform.
Coverage was seen as too narrow
Some supporters said the scheme should not stop at doctors and nurse practitioners, warning that other scarce rural professions such as mental health workers might miss out unless the program was expanded or formally reviewed.
Further sources
Votes
The bill passed both chambers on the voices. The counted divisions below were about amendments or procedure, not final passage.
House agreed to the bill's third reading on the voices, so there is no list of individual Aye and No votes for final passage in that chamber.
Passed on the voices
In a voice vote, members call out Aye or No and the presiding officer judges which side has it. Individual names are only recorded if a formal division is called.
Senate agreed to the bill's third reading on the voices, so there is no list of individual Aye and No votes for final passage in that chamber.
Passed on the voices
In a voice vote, members call out Aye or No and the presiding officer judges which side has it. Individual names are only recorded if a formal division is called.
Amendments grouped by chamber. These cards include amendment outcomes recorded without a counted division.
House
Passed 78 to 62. Support came from Labor and Greens. Opposition came from Liberal Party, Nationals, and Centre Alliance. Minor-party and independent votes were split.
This added an explicit review requirement to the bill before it moved on, while leaving the core HELPThe government loan system students use to defer some study costs, and the debt that rural health workers may have reduced under this bill. debt relief scheme intact.
The House agreed on voices to Dr Sophie Scamps's crossbench amendment requiring reviews of the rural HELPThe government loan system students use to defer some study costs, and the debt that rural health workers may have reduced under this bill. debt rules, with reports and ministerial responses tabled in Parliament.
Carried on voices
The chamber decided this amendment without a counted division, so there is no list of individual Aye and No votes.
The House agreed to the amendments made by the Senate, so the bill could pass both chambers in the same form.
Carried on voices
The chamber decided this amendment without a counted division, so there is no list of individual Aye and No votes.
Senate
The Senate agreed on voices to five Opposition amendments moved by Senator Jonathon Duniam, bringing the review dates forward and requiring the reviews to consider other high-skill rural sectors.
Carried on voices
The chamber decided this amendment without a counted division, so there is no list of individual Aye and No votes.
The Senate agreed on voices to Senator Duniam’s proposal, which would require an independent review of the rural HELPThe government loan system students use to defer some study costs, and the debt that rural health workers may have reduced under this bill. debt policy earlier, widen what the review must consider, and shorten the reporting dates.
Carried on voices
The chamber decided this amendment without a counted division, so there is no list of individual Aye and No votes.
The Senate Journal records a further amendment being defeated on voices; the collected source does not identify any text that was added to the bill.
Defeated on voices
The chamber decided this amendment without a counted division, so there is no list of individual Aye and No votes.
These are amendment votes, not the final passage vote on the bill itself. The bill passed both chambers on the voices.
The parliamentary record also shows 1 Crossbench amendment and 5 Opposition amendments agreed without a counted division.
Parliamentary debate
Start here — lead voices
Clare supports the bill, saying it fixes unfair grandfathering problems for students and adds incentives to get doctors and nurse practitioners to live and work in rural and remote communities.
Read in Hansard ↗Haines supports the bill because it should helpThe government loan system students use to defer some study costs, and the debt that rural health workers may have reduced under this bill. attract and keep doctors and nurse practitioners in rural and remote Australia, but she says it is incomplete because it does not also helpThe government loan system students use to defer some study costs, and the debt that rural health workers may have reduced under this bill. rural mental health workers.
Read in Hansard ↗Katter supports the bill because it delivers the HECSThe older name people often use for student loans and fee relief in higher education; on this page it refers to the student debt affected by the bill's fee corrections. debt write-off and other changes that rural doctors asked for.
Read in Hansard ↗Phillips strongly supports the bill, saying it will reduce or wipe HELPThe government loan system students use to defer some study costs, and the debt that rural health workers may have reduced under this bill. debts for eligible doctors and nurse practitioners who live and work in regional areas, which she argues will helpThe government loan system students use to defer some study costs, and the debt that rural health workers may have reduced under this bill. fix GPA family doctor or primary care doctor; the speeches use this term for the rural doctor shortage the bill is meant to help ease. shortages on the South Coast and other rural communities.
Read in Hansard ↗All speeches by bloc
6 speakers · 7 contributions · 6 support
“Well, Juanita and Gina, that is exactly what this bill will do. If this bill passes, from 1 January next year, eligible doctors and nurse practitioners will have their HELP debts reduced or wiped if they live and work in areas like the South Coast for the equivalent length of their degree. Doctors and nurse practitioners who meet half of the time requirements will be able to access half of the HELP debt removal. This is fantastic news.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“This legislation does a number of things. I'm really pleased that we've introduced it to the parliament. It importantly protects students from the changes made to higher education fee structures that would have unfairly impacted those who commenced courses prior to its introduction or who were forced to change courses due to the external factors described in the legislation. It provides a real boost to our medical workforce, particularly in regional Australia, which is very dearly needed.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“When it comes to correcting the maldistribution of health professionals, every little nudge helps. When cost-of-living pressures are biting, it makes a real difference for doctors and nurses to consider moving to the country. I wish I had joined the docs all those years ago. My advice to juniors is: don't be seduced by the city when wide-open spaces with a great lifestyle and a fulfilling career beckon. I commend this bill to the House.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
Hansard records 2 separate contributions by Jason Clare on this bill. They are grouped here so the speaker is listed once.
Minister's second reading speech
Clare supports the bill, saying it fixes unfair grandfathering problems for students and adds incentives to get doctors and nurse practitioners to live and work in rural and remote communities. He argues the measures should start now because they improve fairness in higher education and helpThe government loan system students use to defer some study costs, and the debt that rural health workers may have reduced under this bill. deliver services outside the cities.
“The measures in this bill further support the government's commitment to fairness in our education system and to support services in our rural and remote communities.”Read this contribution in Hansard ↗
Second reading speech
Clare supports the bill and says it fixes unfair grandfathering outcomes from the job-ready graduates scheme while also giving doctors and nurse practitioners incentives to work in rural and remote areas. He describes it as an important step forward, though not the whole solution to health access in those communities.
“This is a policy that we've continued from the former government, and I recognise the work that the shadow minister, the former minister of education, did in this area. Collectively, we want to make a difference here for rural and remote communities and for their access to health services. So this is an important measure to bring forward in this parliament. But it's just one measure. We expect that it will support around 850 medical practitioners a year in those areas. That's a good thing, but it's not the whole solution. It's only one step that we need to take to address access to health services in rural and remote parts of Australia. But, with the help of good people, like all members who've contributed to this debate, we can make a difference. This bill is an important step forward, and I commend it to the House.”Read this contribution in Hansard ↗
“So I commend those measures in the bill and look forward to continuing to work amidst this government's broader work and efforts on strengthening Medicare and strengthening our healthcare system, because we know that, after nine years of the previous government, it has never been in worse shape. So there is a lot of work to do, and I commend the measures in this bill which will, hopefully, make a difference in regional South Australia.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“I thank senators for their contributions to this debate. The bill will support students through fairer grandfathering provisions and the Job-Ready Graduate scheme and will support our rural, remote and very remote communities by encouraging our doctors and nurse practitioners to provide services in those areas. The bill will also put in place a scheme for eligible doctors and nurse practitioners to have their HELP debts reduced or wiped if they live and work in rural, remote and very remote areas of Australia. This is a policy which we have continued from the former government. We want to make sure in rural and remote communities they have access to health services, and it makes sense to continue this important measure. We expect to support around 850 medical practitioners a year in those areas. Again, I thank senators for their contribution, and I commend this bill to the chamber.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
8 speakers · 8 support
“I commend the government and Minister Clare for re-introducing this bill. I particularly commend the government for adopting the coalition's policy—a very good policy which we introduced towards the end of last year—of providing those HECS and HELP waivers for the doctors and nurse practitioners who go and work in the regional and the rural areas.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“This bill is one measure that we can pursue to make it more appealing, through the forgiveness of student loans, for more younger people to take up the opportunity of working in regional areas. Apart from the service that they might give in that community, it might take three to six years to qualify for the complete eradication of their student loan.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“The Nationals absolutely support it, because it was our policy, and I congratulate the government for picking up good policy when they see it. I commend the bill to the chamber.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“As I've already said, this is coalition legislation, in essence. It was introduced before the last election; we, therefore, support the bill. There will be an amendment during the committee stage and I look forward to speaking to it at that point.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“The basic proposition is that, if those people who are studying medicine or nursing choose to work and live in a regional or remote community, the quid pro quo is that they're given relief on their university fees. That is entirely appropriate and, hopefully—and I share this ambition with Senator Smith—will go some way towards alleviating the crisis that is currently occurring, especially in remote and regional communities, in relation to health care.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“This is a good practical bill—first developed by the coalition—that delivers numerous benefits. I commend the bill to the House.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“I rise to support the Higher Education Support Amendment (2022 Measures No. 1) Bill 2022. It builds on what we on this side of the House know was a good piece of legislation. The original bill introduced by the coalition in the 2021-22 Mid-Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook has been reintroduced and encourages the relocation and retention of eligible doctors and nurse practitioners by reducing their outstanding HECS-HELP debts. This measure also allows for the waiver of indexation on outstanding HELP debts for eligible doctors and nurse practitioners while they are residing in and competing eligible work in rural, remote and very remote areas. HECS-HELP debts for doctors can be up to $100,000. Any reduction in that would certainly be an incentive and enticement for a graduate to move to the country—at least that's my hope in my electorate of Mallee.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“Overall, this is a great bill. I'm not trying to blow my own trumpet, but it really is a good idea. People in the industry recommended it, and I support this bill to the hilt.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
4 speakers · 4 support
“As an Independent, I can recognise good work wherever it's done, but I can also recognise where more work is needed. I will always be an unflinching voice for rural Australians. This bill will help address the need for doctors and nurse practitioners in rural Australia, but the government can do more to recognise and address the dire state of mental health. That's why I'm calling on the government today to include, in their next budget, provisions for mental health workers to be included under this scheme. This would allow psychologists, mental health nurses, psychiatrists and social workers to have all or part of their outstanding university HELP debt reduced when they reside and work in rural and regional Australia.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“The first thing they asked for that day was the writing off of the HECS debt. The second thing they asked for was more money for GPs in private medical centres. The third thing was foreign doctors coming into Queensland. The restrictions were just a little bit too strict in Queensland and they asked for a liberalisation. The federal government put a second body in that could authorise doctors to become GPs in Queensland. So they're three of the four items. I'm having enormous difficulty remembering the fourth item, and I feel very embarrassed that I can't remember it. I'm at a loss to remember what it was.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“I now call on the government to prioritise this reform, plan for it in the May budget and, at minimum, deliver recommendation 6 of the Community Affairs References Committee's general practice interim report to substantially increase the Medicare rebates for all levels of general practice. I commend this bill to the House.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“We need to fundamentally embrace the knowledge of members such as the member for Mackellar and the others who make representations in this chamber to ensure that we are building a healthcare system that is not just fit for purpose now but fit for purpose well into the future. I commend the member for Mackellar's amendment to the House.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
Record
House · Introduced and read a first time
Introduced
The bill was formally presented to the chamber and read a first time, which starts its parliamentary journey.
House · Second reading moved
Second reading opened
A minister or sponsoring member moved the second reading, opening the main debate on the bill's purpose and principles.
House · Second reading debate
Second reading debate
The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
House · Second reading debate
Second reading debate
The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
House · Consideration in detail: amendments considered
Amendment packages agreed
The chamber considered amendments before the bill moved to the next stage.
House · Third reading agreed to
Third reading agreed
The chamber agreed to the bill at third reading, which completed passage through that chamber.
Senate · Introduced and read a first time
Introduced
The bill was formally presented to the chamber and read a first time, which starts its parliamentary journey.
Senate · Second reading moved
Second reading opened
A minister or sponsoring member moved the second reading, opening the main debate on the bill's purpose and principles.
Senate · Second reading debate
Second reading debate
The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
Senate · Second reading agreed to
Second reading agreed
The chamber agreed to the bill at second reading, meaning it accepted the bill in principle and allowed it to continue.
Senate · Committee of the whole: amendments considered
Amendment packages agreed
The chamber considered amendments before the bill moved to the next stage.
Senate · Third reading agreed to
Third reading agreed
The chamber agreed to the bill at third reading, which completed passage through that chamber.
House · Message from Senate reported
Message from Senate reported
The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
House · Consideration of Senate message
House agreed to Senate amendments
The House dealt with Senate amendments or requests so both chambers could settle the bill in the same form.
Parliament · Finally passed both Houses
Passed both houses
Both houses passed the bill in the same form, completing parliamentary passage.
Assent · Assent
Assent
The Governor-General gave Royal AssentThe final step that turns a bill into an Act of Parliament, which is why these changes became law on 20 February 2023., turning the bill into an Act.
