Senate Education and Employment Legislation Committee

Senate Estimates hearing,

Searchable transcript of the Senate Education and Employment Legislation Committee, 13 Feb 2026 Senate Estimates hearing, with chapters: Opening and ATEC Independence, Student Contributions and JRG Scheme, Managed Growth and Regulatory Architecture, Reforming Student Fees and Objectives, Standards…

Chapters

  1. Opening and ATEC Independence (0:01)

    The Chair opens the hearing on the Universities Accord, and witnesses from IRU and Go8 discuss the establishment and independence of the Australian Tertiary Education Commission (ATEC).

  2. Student Contributions and JRG Scheme (8:30)

    Discussion focuses on the omission of student contributions from the ATEC legislation and the negative impacts of the Job-Ready Graduates scheme on equity.

  3. Managed Growth and Regulatory Architecture (16:08)

    Witnesses outline the anticipated benefits of ATEC for the tertiary sector and discuss the proposed managed growth reforms and regulatory architecture.

  4. Reforming Student Fees and Objectives (22:45)

    Senator Faruqi questions witnesses on the urgency of reforming student fees and expanding the National Tertiary Education Objective to include research and intellectual freedom.

  5. Standards Panel and Workplace Culture (31:53)

    The committee discusses the abolition of the Higher Education Standards Panel and the need for ATEC to address workplace culture and accessibility for marginalized groups.

  6. Universities Australia on ATEC Stewardship (36:08)

    Luke Sheehy of Universities Australia expresses support for ATEC while highlighting concerns regarding student debt and the failure of the Job-Ready Graduates policy.

  7. Mission-Based Compacts and Research (44:30)

    Discussion shifts to the implementation of mission-based compacts and the importance of explicitly including research within ATEC's core mission.

  8. Ministerial Veto and Innovation Fund (59:38)

    Witnesses advocate for removing ministerial veto power over research grants and discuss the role of the proposed Managed Growth and Student Equity Innovation Fund.

  9. NTEU on Statutory Independence (1:06:46)

    The National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU) raises concerns about ministerial influence over commissioner appointments and the need for ATEC to be a truly independent statutory authority.

  10. Teaching Standards and Wage Theft (1:29:46)

    NTEU representatives discuss the impact of casualization on teaching quality and the potential for ATEC to address systemic issues like wage theft in universities.

  11. Departmental Briefing on ATEC Structure (1:44:32)

    Officials from the Department of Education and the interim ATEC explain the statutory independence, reporting requirements, and staffing arrangements of the new commission.

  12. Commissioner Recruitment and Roles (2:01:18)

    The department outlines the recruitment process for permanent commissioners and clarifies the distinct roles of ATEC as a steward versus TEQSA as a regulator.

  13. Staffing Transfers and Policy Advice (2:19:53)

    Discussion covers the transfer of staff from the department to ATEC and the commission's role in providing independent, contestable policy advice to the government.

  14. Expert Critique of ATEC Legislation (2:30:47)

    Independent experts Andrew Norton and Claire Field provide a critical analysis of the bill, focusing on mission-based compacts and the need for legislative clarity on student contributions.