Former prime minister Tony Abbott immediately condemned the decision, saying he was "disappointed". Education Minister Simon Birmingham. Credit:Andrew Meares "I'm a little disappointed by it and, frankly, I am disappointed that the people who call for reform did not get behind the 2014 budget," Mr Abbott told 3AW host Neil Mitchell. Senator Birmingham's predecessor Christopher Pyne had insisted the bill - which would deregulate university fees and cut course funding by 20 per cent - would be reintroduced this year after his reforms were twice knocked back by the Senate. "With only three months left in 2015, it is necessary to give both universities and students certainty about what the higher education funding arrangements for 2016 will be," Senator Birmingham will say in a speech to the University of Melbourne.

"Therefore, today I am announcing that higher education funding arrangements for 2016 will not be changed from currently legislated arrangements, while the government consults further on reforms for the future. Former education minister Christopher Pyne. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen "Any reforms, should they be legislated, would not commence until 2017 at the earliest." Senator Birmingham said the government was "accepting reality" that the reforms would not pass the Senate in their current form. But he said the government's policies officially remain in place until cabinet decides otherwise. Senator Birmingham said that, as someone who was educated in government schools in low socio-economic areas - and whose parents never attended university - he was "resolutely committed to equitable access" to higher education.

"To those who claim consideration of reform is about ideology or privilege, you are dead wrong. I will only ever champion reforms that achieve both equity and excellence," he said. To those who claim consideration of reform is about ideology or privilege, you are dead wrong "I invite ideas and conversations about how to achieve such equity and excellence in higher education, while honestly recognising the financial limitations of taxpayers." Although the government has shelved its reforms, Senator Birmingham said Australia's higher education funding system was not perfect and needed reform. The previous Labor government's decision to uncap undergraduate numbers has not been matched by sustainable funding, he said. And it is unfair that students at TAFEs and private colleges do not receive direct federal funding and they have to pay expensive loan fees that university students do not.

This suggests the government remains in favour of its plan to extend federal funding to private colleges, TAFEs and associate degree programs. He said he hoped the debate leading up to the next federal election was based on "sensible discussions, not fear campaigns". Follow us on Twitter