DASSH welcomed the opportunity to appear before the Senate Education and Employment Legislation Committee inquiry into the Job-Ready Graduates Package.
Board members Professors Lori Lockyer and Kate Nash focused on the need for balanced reform that addresses inequitable student contribution settings while maintaining the sustainability of Australia’s higher education system.
We emphasised that JRG is not only a funding issue — it is an equity issue, a regional issue and a national capability issue. Funding settings shape who can access higher education, the skills Australia develops, and the opportunities available to future students.
Our opening statements capture the key points of our submission:
- Current settings are increasing costs for students in disciplines with strong participation from low SES, First Nations, regional students and students with disability.
- HASS capabilities are increasingly valuable. Communication, critical thinking, creativity, problem solving and adaptability are among the skills most sought after by employers.
- JRG sends the wrong signal by making more expensive the disciplines that help develop many of the capabilities Australia needs most.
- The impacts of JRG are especially significant in regional Australia, where local universities are often the main pathway into higher education.
- Declining enrolments and pressure on programs risk weakening regional workforce pipelines, reducing opportunity and limiting community capability.
- DASSH supports balanced reform that reduces excessive student contributions while maintaining overall funding to the sector.
We look forward to continuing to contribute constructively to reform aligned with the Universities Accord and Australia’s long-term interests.