Does not address the debt burden
Critics argued the bill makes only technical and consequential changes while leaving students and apprentices exposed to taking on more debt and to broader repayment pressures.
Student Loans (Overseas Debtors Repayment Levy) Amendment
Current status
This bill became law on Aug 21st, 2023.
Policy area
Education & skills
What does this bill do?
Australia’s overseas student-loan repayment levyThe charge used to recover some student loan debts from Australians who live overseas. law now uses the new name for apprentice support loans, so the levyThe charge used to recover some student loan debts from Australians who live overseas. still matches the renamed loans program.
Why was it introduced?
The overseas repayment levyThe charge used to recover some student loan debts from Australians who live overseas. law was left out of step when the Trade Support LoansThe older name for the apprenticeship loan scheme that this bill updates in the levy law. program was renamed and expanded beyond trade occupations. This bill updates the levyThe charge used to recover some student loan debts from Australians who live overseas. law so it uses the new apprentice support loan name and still covers the broader loan program.
Broader context
Australia had already built a system to pursue student loan repayments from people living overseas, but the levyThe charge used to recover some student loan debts from Australians who live overseas. law later fell out of step when the Trade Support LoansThe older name for the apprenticeship loan scheme that this bill updates in the levy law. scheme was renamed Australian Apprenticeship Support LoansThe new name for the apprenticeship loan scheme after it was widened beyond trade jobs. and opened to a broader set of priority apprenticeships beyond traditional trades. This bill responded by updating the overseas debtor levyThe charge used to recover some student loan debts from Australians who live overseas. law to match that renamed and expanded loans program, and after Parliament passed it in August 2023 the change was locked in at Royal AssentThe final approval that turns the bill into an Act of Parliament. so the overseas repayment rules continued to apply consistently.
Key criticism
The main criticism was that the bill only updates loan levyThe charge used to recover some student loan debts from Australians who live overseas. rules to fit a renamed and expanded apprentice loan scheme while leaving the bigger problem of rising student and apprentice debt untouched. That case appears to have been raised narrowly, mainly by the Australian Greens through defeated Senate amendments, while no party represented in the debate opposed the bill itself.
Who supported it?
Brendan O'connor MP introduced this bill. It passed on the voices.
Introduced in House 25 May 2023
Passed House 14 June 2023
Passed Senate 09 Aug 2023
Became law 21 Aug 2023
Did it become law?
Yes
Became law 21 Aug 2023
Final passage
Passed without a counted vote
2 recorded amendment or procedural votes were found, but no counted vote on the bill itself was recorded.
Passage speed
88 days
From introduction to the latest recorded parliamentary step
Meaning
What does this bill do?
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Australia’s overseas student-loan repayment levyThe charge used to recover some student loan debts from Australians who live overseas. law now uses the new name for apprentice support loans, so the levyThe charge used to recover some student loan debts from Australians who live overseas. still matches the renamed loans program.
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The Act makes consequential changes to the overseas debt repayment levyThe charge used to recover some student loan debts from Australians who live overseas. law so it stays consistent after the 2023 changes to apprentice support loans.
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The levyThe charge used to recover some student loan debts from Australians who live overseas. law now fits a broader apprentice loan program that is no longer limited to trade jobs and can cover priority non-trade apprenticeships.
Show source excerpts
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The amendments update references in theStudent Loans (Overseas Debtors Repayment Levy) Act 2015 to 'Trade Support Loans Act 2014' with 'Australian Apprenticeship Support Loans Act 2014', to align with the rebranding of Trade Support Loans to Australian Apprenticeship Support Loans.
Second reading speech -
The bill makes consequential amendments to the Student Loans (Overseas Debtors Repayment Levy) Act 2015 which arise from the enactment of the Trade Support Loans Amendment Act 2023.
Second reading speech -
This rebranding reflects changes to the Trade Support Loans Scheme, which expand eligibility for access to the loans so that they will no longer be limited to trade occupations. Instead, there will be ongoing flexibility for the program to provide support loans for apprentices in priority non-trade occupations such as aged care, child care and disability care.
Second reading speech
Context
Broader context for this bill
Australia had already built a system to pursue student loan repayments from people living overseas, but the levyThe charge used to recover some student loan debts from Australians who live overseas. law later fell out of step when the Trade Support LoansThe older name for the apprenticeship loan scheme that this bill updates in the levy law. scheme was renamed Australian Apprenticeship Support LoansThe new name for the apprenticeship loan scheme after it was widened beyond trade jobs. and opened to a broader set of priority apprenticeships beyond traditional trades. This bill responded by updating the overseas debtor levyThe charge used to recover some student loan debts from Australians who live overseas. law to match that renamed and expanded loans program, and after Parliament passed it in August 2023 the change was locked in at Royal AssentThe final approval that turns the bill into an Act of Parliament. so the overseas repayment rules continued to apply consistently.
- 03 May 2015
Government moves to collect student debts from Australians overseas
The policy to enforce student loan repayment obligations on Australians living overseas established the overseas-debtor framework that this later levyThe charge used to recover some student loan debts from Australians who live overseas. law sits within.
Australian Financial Review ↗ - 25 May 2023
Loan scheme is renamed and widened beyond trade occupations
The minister said Trade Support LoansThe older name for the apprenticeship loan scheme that this bill updates in the levy law. had been rebranded as Australian Apprenticeship Support LoansThe new name for the apprenticeship loan scheme after it was widened beyond trade jobs. to reflect expanded eligibility and ongoing flexibility beyond trade occupations.
Hansard ↗ - 25 May 2023
Government introduces a bill to align the overseas levyThe charge used to recover some student loan debts from Australians who live overseas. law
The bill was introduced to replace outdated references in the overseas debt repayment levyThe charge used to recover some student loan debts from Australians who live overseas. law so it continued to cover the renamed apprentice support loan program.
Hansard ↗ - 09 Aug 2023
Parliament passes the bill
Both houses passed the bill in the same form, clearing the last parliamentary step needed to update the levyThe charge used to recover some student loan debts from Australians who live overseas. law.
Parliamentary timeline ↗ - 21 Aug 2023
Royal AssentThe final approval that turns the bill into an Act of Parliament. confirms the update
Royal AssentThe final approval that turns the bill into an Act of Parliament. turned the bill into an Act so the overseas debtor repayment levyThe charge used to recover some student loan debts from Australians who live overseas. law formally matched the broader Australian Apprenticeship Support LoansThe new name for the apprenticeship loan scheme after it was widened beyond trade jobs. scheme.
Parliamentary timeline ↗
Legislative route
How did it move through Parliament?
House Senate
Introduced 25 May 2023
The bill was formally presented to the chamber and read a first time, which starts its parliamentary journey.
Introduced and read a first time
Second reading opened 25 May 2023
A minister or sponsoring member moved the second reading, opening the main debate on the bill's purpose and principles.
Second reading moved
Second reading debate 01 June 2023
The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
Second reading debate 14 June 2023
The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
House second reading agreed 14 June 2023
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
House third reading agreed 14 June 2023
The chamber agreed to the bill at third reading, which completed passage through that chamber.
Third reading agreed to
Introduced 14 June 2023
The bill was formally presented to the chamber and read a first time, which starts its parliamentary journey.
Introduced and read a first time
Second reading opened 14 June 2023
A minister or sponsoring member moved the second reading, opening the main debate on the bill's purpose and principles.
Second reading moved
Second reading debate 08 Aug 2023
The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
Second reading debate 09 Aug 2023
The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
Senate second reading agreed 09 Aug 2023
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
Committee of the Whole debate 09 Aug 2023
The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
Senate third reading agreed 09 Aug 2023
The chamber agreed to the bill at third reading, which completed passage through that chamber.
Third reading agreed to
Passed both houses 09 Aug 2023
Both houses passed the bill in the same form, completing parliamentary passage.
Finally passed both Houses
Assent 21 Aug 2023
The Governor-General gave Royal AssentThe final approval that turns the bill into an Act of Parliament., turning the bill into an Act.
Key criticism
The main case against this bill
The main criticism was that the bill only updates loan levyThe charge used to recover some student loan debts from Australians who live overseas. rules to fit a renamed and expanded apprentice loan scheme while leaving the bigger problem of rising student and apprentice debt untouched. That case appears to have been raised narrowly, mainly by the Australian Greens through defeated Senate amendments, while no party represented in the debate opposed the bill itself.
Criticism focused on the wider debt system, not this bill’s technical drafting.
No relief from indexation and repayment pressures
A related criticism was that the bill does nothing to ease indexation and other repayment pressures in the student loan system, even as concern about those costs was growing.
Further sources
Votes
Recorded votes
How the bill itself passed
The bill passed both chambers on the voices. The counted divisions below were about amendments or procedure, not final passage.
Passed House passed the bill
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
House passed the bill
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.
Passed Senate passed the bill
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
Senate passed the bill
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 at a glance
Recorded amendment and procedural votes grouped by chamber. Expand a vote to see the party breakdown.
Senate
Defeated Call for free training and debt relief
Defeated 9 to 27. Support came from Greens. Opposition came from Labor, Jacqui Lambie Network, Liberal Party, Nationals, and minor parties and independents.
Defeated
Call for free training and debt relief
The Senate defeated the amendment 27 votes to 9, so the bill proceeded without the Greens' proposed second-reading statement.
Party Aye / No
Labor 0 / 16
Greens 9 / 0
Unknown 0 / 6
Independent 0 / 1
Jacqui Lambie Network 0 / 1
Liberal Party 0 / 1
Nationals 0 / 1
UAP 0 / 1
Defeated Call for student debt relief
Defeated 10 to 25. Support came from Greens and minor parties and independents. Opposition came from Labor, Jacqui Lambie Network, Liberal Party, Nationals, and minor parties and independents.
Defeated
Call for student debt relief
The Senate rejected the committee amendments 25 votes to 10, so the bill was reported without amendment from this vote.
Party Aye / No
Labor 0 / 16
Greens 9 / 0
Unknown 0 / 6
Independent 1 / 0
Jacqui Lambie Network 0 / 1
Liberal Party 0 / 1
Nationals 0 / 1
These are amendment votes, not the final passage vote on the bill itself. The bill passed both chambers on the voices.
Parliamentary debate
Who spoke, and what they said
Start here — lead voices
Sponsor speech Supports
Brendan O'Connor
Brendan O'Connor supports the bill and says it is a consequential update that aligns the overseas debt repayment levyThe charge used to recover some student loan debts from Australians who live overseas. law with the rebranding of Trade Support LoansThe older name for the apprenticeship loan scheme that this bill updates in the levy law. as Australian Apprenticeship Support LoansThe new name for the apprenticeship loan scheme after it was widened beyond trade jobs..
Read in Hansard ↗ Lead supporting voice Supports
Nola Marino
Marino says the coalition will support the bill because it is a sensible reform that was started by the coalition in government and will help apprentices and trainees.
Read in Hansard ↗ Lead voice Supports
Andrew Charlton
Charlton supports the bill as part of a package that expands and modernises loan support for apprentices and priority workers, saying it will make the program fairer and better matched to labour-market needs.
Read in Hansard ↗ Lead voice Supports
Anne Stanley
Stanley supports the bill, saying it fixes a flaw in the loans scheme by extending help beyond trade occupations to priority workers in care and education, and by giving apprentices a completion incentive.
Read in Hansard ↗All speeches by bloc
Labor
3 speakers · 3 support
Labor
3 speakers · 3 support
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Andrew Charlton ★ Charlton supports the bill as part of a package that expands and modernises loan support for apprentices and priority workers, saying it will make the program fairer and better matched to labour-market needs.
“I rise to support the Trade Support Loans Amendment Bill 2023 and the Student Loans (Overseas Debtors Repayment Levy) Amendment Bill 2023. The amendments included in these bills build upon the federal government's existing trade support loans, established in 2014. Every year, these interest-free, income-contingent loans are crucial to thousands of Australian apprentices and businesses alike. They provide up to $22,890 for apprentices to meet their day-to-day costs while they undertake training.”
Read the full speech in Hansard ↗ -
Anne Stanley ★ Stanley supports the bill, saying it fixes a flaw in the loans scheme by extending help beyond trade occupations to priority workers in care and education, and by giving apprentices a completion incentive.
“These bills are a continuation of our investment in Australians. Trade support loans are there to help Australian apprentices meet their everyday expenses. They help support them with interest-free loans as recognition of the low wages in the first few years of an apprenticeship. As of 28 March 2023, over 167,000 apprentices have taken up trade support loans since the scheme's establishment. However, the trade support loans scheme has a significant flaw. It does not acknowledge those who are in an occupation listed as a priority occupation but are non-trade workers—that is, it excludes many essential workers in the care economy: aged care, disability care and early childhood education. These are undervalued and heavily female dominated sectors. This legislation seeks to fix that. It replaces the trade support loans priority list with a new Australian apprenticeships priority list that will no longer be limited to trade occupations and will provide ongoing flexibility to the program. It opens doors for thousands of those in the care sector to access monthly loans to help with the cost of living. Year on year, completion rates have been in decline because apprentices and others have not been able to finish their courses. Reversing this trend is essential for the development of meaningful career pathways for Australians and also for the health of our economy. Those who participate in this scheme will be eligible for a 20 per cent discount on their loan on completion of the apprenticeship, an incentive to encourage apprentices to finish their training and go on to be useful parts of our economy.”
Read the full speech in Hansard ↗ -
Brendan O'Connor ★ Brendan O'Connor supports the bill and says it is a consequential update that aligns the overseas debt repayment levyThe charge used to recover some student loan debts from Australians who live overseas. law with the rebranding of Trade Support LoansThe older name for the apprenticeship loan scheme that this bill updates in the levy law. as Australian Apprenticeship Support LoansThe new name for the apprenticeship loan scheme after it was widened beyond trade jobs..
“The amendments update references in theStudent Loans (Overseas Debtors Repayment Levy) Act 2015 to 'Trade Support Loans Act 2014' with 'Australian Apprenticeship Support Loans Act 2014', to align with the rebranding of Trade Support Loans to Australian Apprenticeship Support Loans.”
Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
Coalition
3 speakers · 3 support
Coalition
3 speakers · 3 support
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Nola Marino ★ Marino says the coalition will support the bill because it is a sensible reform that was started by the coalition in government and will help apprentices and trainees.
“The coalition will be supporting these bills—the Trade Support Loans Amendment Bill and the Student Loans (Overseas Debtors Repayment Levy) Amendment Bill—as we've heard. They are sensible reforms which the coalition developed whilst in government, starting these reforms, as we've heard from previous speakers.”
Read the full speech in Hansard ↗ -
Michaelia Cash Michaelia Cash says the coalition will support the bill because it updates the overseas debt levyThe charge used to recover some student loan debts from Australians who live overseas. law to match the expanded Australian apprenticeships support loans scheme and improve how the program works.
“In terms of the Student Loans (Overseas Debtors Repayment Levy) Amendment Bill 2023, it updates references in the Student Loans (Overseas Debtors Repayment Levy) Act 2015 to 'Trade Support Loans Act 2014' with 'Australian Apprenticeship Support Loans Act 2014'. What it does here is align with the broadening of trade support loans to Australian apprenticeships support loans. As I said, these are sensible reforms which improve the operation of the scheme. The coalition commenced this scheme when we were last in government, and we also commenced these important reforms. That is why, as a former minister in this area, with the help of very dedicated team who were in my office at the time, I'm very pleased that we are seeing these reforms come through the Senate today.”
Read the full speech in Hansard ↗ -
Sussan Ley Ley says the coalition will support the bill because it updates the overseas debt levyThe charge used to recover some student loan debts from Australians who live overseas. law to match the rebranding of trade support loansThe older name for the apprenticeship loan scheme that this bill updates in the levy law. to Australian apprenticeship support loansThe new name for the apprenticeship loan scheme after it was widened beyond trade jobs., and she describes it as a sensible reform that improves the scheme.
“The Student Loans (Overseas Debtors Repayment Levy) Amendment Bill 2023 updates references in the Student Loans (Overseas Debtors Repayment Levy) Act 2015 to 'Trade Support Loans Act 2014' with 'Australian Apprenticeship Support Loans Act 2014' to align with the rebranding of trade support loans to Australian apprenticeship support loans. As I stated, these are sensible reforms which improve the scheme. The coalition began the scheme and started these reforms. We will see them through.”
Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
Record
Full record
- Act title
- Student Loans (Overseas Debtors Repayment Levy) Amendment Act 2023
- Act number
- Act No. 60, 2023
- Became law
- 21 Aug 2023
- Takes effect
- The whole of this Act At the same time as the Trade Support Loans Amendment Act 2023 commences. However, this Act does not commence at all if that Act does not commence.
- Registered
- 23 Aug 2023
- Administered by
- Department of Employment and Workplace Relations
- Final law metadata was collected from the APH progress table; commencement rows were parsed from the bill text.
- Status
- Act -- Collected from the APH bill page.
- Originating house
- House of Representatives
- 25 May 2023
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.
- 25 May 2023
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.
- 01 June 2023
House · Second reading debate
Second reading debate
The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
- 14 June 2023
House · Second reading debate
Second reading debate
The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
- 14 June 2023
House · 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.
- 14 June 2023
House · Third reading agreed to
Third reading agreed
The chamber agreed to the bill at third reading, which completed passage through that chamber.
- 14 June 2023
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.
- 14 June 2023
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.
- 08 Aug 2023
Senate · Second reading debate
Second reading debate
The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
- 09 Aug 2023
Senate · Second reading debate
Second reading debate
The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
- 09 Aug 2023
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.
- 09 Aug 2023
Senate · Committee of the Whole debate
Committee of the Whole debate
The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
- 09 Aug 2023
Senate · Third reading agreed to
Third reading agreed
The chamber agreed to the bill at third reading, which completed passage through that chamber.
- 09 Aug 2023
Parliament · Finally passed both Houses
Passed both houses
Both houses passed the bill in the same form, completing parliamentary passage.
- 21 Aug 2023
Assent · Assent
Assent
The Governor-General gave Royal AssentThe final approval that turns the bill into an Act of Parliament., turning the bill into an Act.