• waiving HELP debt for doctors and nurse practitioners who choose to work in rural and remote Australia, and
• ensuring honours students are counted as continuing students and – like other grandfathered students – continue to pay pre-Job-Ready Graduate package fees.

“Universities back the government’s focus on helping more people to get a world-class university education,” Universities Australia Chief Executive Catriona Jackson said.

“Skill shortages are biting hard right across the country and the economy, which is why we must do more to get as many university graduates into the workforce as we can.

“Rural and remote parts of Australia are particularly susceptible to these shortages, so any move to get more doctors and nurses out to these areas to keep locals healthy is a good thing.

“We also support the certainty this legislation provides for honours students who have been unfairly subjected to fee increases since the Job-ready Graduates package took effect.

“Universities look forward to working closely with the government through the Accord process to boost our role in contributing to the nation’s economic and social prosperity.”