Senator Hanson-Young -At which university?

Ms Sizer -Uni SA, city east campus.

Senator Hanson-Young -What feedback have the universities had from students who have perhaps deferred this year at the announced changes to the youth allowance access?

Senator Hanson-Young -Thank you for joining us. What do you see as the reasons why perhaps more young people from Darwin are not going on to university? Is it because those who get accepted are going to educational institutions outside Darwin? What is the reason?

Senator Hanson-Young -Thank you for joining us. I think that it is great that we are able to connect with the communities in regional South Australia. We would really have liked to be able to travel around everywhere but it is just not feasible, so thank you for coming in. I know that it is a bit funny just watching us all onscreen. 

Senator Hanson-Young -Thank you to both groups for coming along and talking to us today. I have had the pleasure of meeting some of you already and completely concur with your concerns around the changes. I guess our challenge is to work out what is the best way forward. We are hearing that expecting students to take 18 months off and work for 30 hours a week is just not feasible.

Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young has called for a parliamentary secretary role to be created to take responsibility for the international education sector. The Senate Education, Employment and Workplace Relations Committee’s Inquiry into the Welfare of International Students, established by Senator Hanson-Young in June, is holding its final hearing today in Canberra, following hearings in Melbourne and Sydney last month.

Senator Hanson Young -It must be a bit strange for you to sit on that side of the table on this occasion, but thank you very much, Andrew, for coming in. Your submission sums up a lot of the key issues that have come out throughout the inquiry. I have two questions in particular. There is recommendation 1 around the need for further scrutiny and review of the education agents who operate offshore.

Senator Hanson Young -In relation to the fee that is collected per student through the CRICOS registration, I would like to know where that money goes, but first can you tell me how much is collected.

Mr Walters -It is about $13 million and it counts as a departmental receipt, so it comes into the department in keeping with a number of other receipts.

CHAIR -Thank you both very much for those opening statements. Senator Hanson Young?

Senator Hanson Young -I have a question that follows on from that, and I apologise if you have already answered it. In relation to the idea of some type of body, one-stop shop, commission, ombudsman or whatever, given the international student sector is our third largest export, do you think that there could be a role for a parliamentary secretary who works with the education minister?