Universities Accord Bill 2024 passes House of Representatives

Earlier this week The Universities Accord (Student Support and Other Measures) Bill 2024 passed though the Federal House of Representatives. This is part of the first stage of reforms the Albanese Government will implement in response to the Universities Accord. 

The legislation which caps the HELP indexation rate at the lower of either the Consumer Price Index (CPI) or the Wage Price Index (WPI) with effect from 1 June 2023 will now move to the Senate. If passed, the legislation will cut the student debt of more than 3 million Australians. Education Minister Jason Clare said a graduate with an average debt of $26,500 would have about $1,200 wiped from their outstanding loan under the new policy. 

The AVA welcomes the changes to HELP debt indexing but is disappointed the Government has not supported veterinary students by including them in the Commonwealth Prac Payment Scheme. 

The Universities Accord Bill also introduces the Commonwealth Prac Payment from 1 July 2025 for around 68,000 higher education teaching, nursing, midwifery and social work students to help financially support them while they do the practical parts of their degree. 

The AVA has advocated heavily for the inclusion of veterinary students in the Commonwealth Prac Payment scheme after the Federal Government left them off the list of eligible professions in May. 

Appearing in person as a witness at the September 2024 Inquiry into the Bill, AVA president Dr Sally Colgan said: "Excluding veterinary science students from the recent funding promise to support teaching, nursing and social work students during university placements overlooks the critical role veterinarians play, which, like human healthcare and education, is essential to the Australian community,” Dr Colgan shared with the Inquiry Committee. 

The AVA will continue to advocate for the Federal Government to include veterinary students in the Commonwealth Prac Payment Scheme and build a better and fairer tertiary education system. The AVA will continue to provide updates on this Bill as they become available.