University deregulation: Crossbench senators look set to reject Federal Government's higher education changes for second time

Updated

The Senate is set to reject the Federal Government's second bid to deregulate universities.

The changes, which were announced in last year's budget, have failed to win the six votes required on the split crossbench of eight senators.

Education Minister Christopher Pyne had hoped to have a vote on the bill this Wednesday, but the Government's already fraught relationship with the Upper House has worsened with crossbench senators accusing it of holding scientists' jobs to ransom.

Mr Pyne said research jobs are at risk if the higher education reforms bill does not pass the Senate.

"There are consequences for not voting for this reform and that's very important for the crossbenchers to understand," the minister told ABC's Insiders program.

"The consequences are that potentially 1,700 researchers will lose their jobs."

But Labor senator Kim Carr described the education minister's actions as morally bankrupt.

"The Government is attempting to hold the jobs of 1,700 of our scientists hostage to its immoral and unethical behaviour," the Labor spokesman said.

Senator Carr will try to counter the Government's bid for reform by tabling a motion in the Senate today to release the scientific infrastructure funding immediately.

"This motion will be co-sponsored by Senators Lambie, Lazarus, Muir, Rhiannon, Madigan, Wang and Xenophon - clearly the crossbenchers are not going to respond to this attempt to blackmail and intimidate senators," Senator Carr said.

Independent senator Jacqui Lambie said she is angry and determined to make it to Canberra despite her illness.

"Hell or high water I'm going to be there. I've actually got an attachment in my arm so if I start to go down a bit I can just go straight to the hospital and they can put some more antibiotics through me if it needs to happen," she said.

Senator Lambie said she was "absolutely" happy to co-sponsor Senator Carr's motion.

"I said we won't be held to ransom and we won't be intimidated, so in doing that to the crossbenchers he's not making mates," Senator Lambie said.

"I'm absolutely furious that he'd put 1,700 research jobs on the line."

Senator Lambie said Mr Pyne should lose his job and reiterated her view that Malcolm Turnbull should replace Tony Abbott as Liberal leader.

"If he [Mr Turnbull] was in the job and was deciding who would be the next education minister, I am sure that myself and other crossbenchers would be more comfortable in that decision," she said.

Labor and the Greens are opposed to university deregulation which means the Government needs to acquire the votes of six of the eight crossbenchers to pass the legislation.

Few senators expected to back education reforms bill

Family First senator Bob Day said he would vote for the bill because it would boost opportunities for people from low income families and mean they could access low cost no-frills universities.

"I mean those who want to attend the higher price sandstone universities with the sprawling lawns and sporting facilities and political activism and those sorts of things, that's fine for those," he said.

"But spare a thought for those on low incomes that just want to access a degree and get into the workforce."

So far Senator Day is the only confirmed backer for the higher education reforms.

Sorry, this video has expired Video: Senator Nick Xenophon says linking uni reforms to science jobs is foolish (ABC News)

Nationals MP Andrew Broad broke ranks and said he supported researchers and would look elsewhere for savings.

"I'm not suggesting that I support necessarily that that's where the savings should come from, but it would be nice to see the crossbench then come up and say 'well this is where we think the savings could come from'," he said.

David Leyonhjelm, from the Liberal Democrats Party, said if the vote was held today he would not support it.

"I have two rules that I apply to these things: rule number one is the taxpayer must not be screwed [and] rule number two is don't forget rule number one," Senator Leyonhjelm said.

"My concern is the taxpayer is going to end up on the hook as a result of these reforms.

"I am generally in favour of deregulating university fees on the basis of price and quality in a normal market system, but because of the HECS scheme the price signal is severely blunted."

They probably never had anybody like me to deal with before, who is more concerned about taxpayers money than anybody else... but they'd better get used to it Senator David Leyonhjelm

Senator Leyonhjelm called for protections to ensure the cost of HECS does not blow out but said his final decision would depend on the outcome of talks with Mr Pyne.

"Everything is on the table except the centrepiece of the reform which is deregulation," he said.

The Government's dilemma is the difficulty of striking a deal between senators, like Senator Lambie, who want more money spent and other senators, like Senator Leyonhjelm, who are determined to curb spending.

"They probably never had anybody like me to deal with before, who is more concerned about taxpayers money than anybody else on the crossbench, so I guess they're on a learning curve but they'd better get used to it," Senator Leyonhjelm said.

Newly-independent senator Glenn Lazarus said he will not negotiate with Mr Pyne and that he will vote against the bill.

Motoring Enthusiast Party senator Ricky Muir is due to meet Mr Pyne today but said his position remains unchanged and is totally opposed to deregulating universities.

Topics: government-and-politics, federal-government, political-parties, education, business-economics-and-finance, industry, education-industry, australia

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