The Minister indicated in his second reading speech that measures in this Bill are the first stage of implementing the Australian Universities Accord.

Four of the proposals seek to improve aspects of current higher education arrangements, in particular to make those arrangements fairer.

Three of these proposals make changes to:

• the indexation arrangements for HELP debts. The changes are being applied consistently across all
  student loans schemes and so have implications for some students in the vocational education and
  training (VET) sector;
• how Student Services and Amenities Fees (SSAF) are to be used; and
• the funding arrangements for enabling courses.

The fourth proposal relates to the proposed new Commonwealth Prac Payment. It inserts provisions which
will enable the government to make grants to universities and other bodies for the purpose of providing
payments to students who must undertake mandatory practicums to meet entry-to-practice professional
accreditation requirements as part of their course of study. These courses of study may be delivered in either
the higher education or VET sector. UA understands that the enabling provisions in this Bill implement the
Commonwealth Prac Payment in the higher education sector only.

There is a fifth proposal in the Bill which is designed to facilitate the merger of The University of Adelaide and
the University of South Australia into Adelaide University. It puts in place transition arrangements and seeks
to provide continuity of benefits to students.

UA supports the proposed changes to the indexation of student loan debts and the changes to facilitate the creation of the Adelaide University. It has no further comments to add on those matters.

UA is generally supportive of the three other proposals, but they raise substantive issues for the
operations of universities. Our concerns are explored in this submission and relate to matters of
implementation, policy and administrative details and longer-term implications.

UA recommends that the proposals for the Commonwealth Prac Payment and the FEE FREE Uni Ready courses proceed, but that the changes to how the SSAF is used be deferred until the proposal has been further developed in consultation with the sector.