Tony Abbott has never voted on increasing funding for university education
How Tony Abbott voted compared to someone who believes that the federal government should increase funding for university education
13th Sep 2017, 6:32 PM – Representatives Higher Education Support Legislation Amendment (A More Sustainable, Responsive and Transparent Higher Education System) Bill 2017 - Second Reading - Agree with bill's main idea
The majority agreed with the main idea of the bill. In parliamentary jargon, they voted in favour of giving the bill a second reading.
What is the bill's main idea?
The bill makes changes to the way higher education funding works. For example, the bill proposes to:
reduce Commonwealth funding of tuition costs for undergraduate courses at universities through increasing the student contribution towards these costs, and reducing the funding universities receive to cover these costs; and
make changes so that those in the workforce will commence repayment at much lower income levels and at higher rates.
The bill also proposes to change arrangements for permanent residents and New Zealand citizens by:
extending access to HELP loans to students in this situation, but at the same time removing access to CSPs [Commonwealth Supported Places] ... [so they will] effectively be treated the same as domestic full-fee paying students.
Find out more about the bill in its bills digest.
absent No (strong) Passed by a small majority
13th Sep 2017, 6:25 PM – Representatives Higher Education Support Legislation Amendment (A More Sustainable, Responsive and Transparent Higher Education System) Bill 2017 - Second Reading - Disagree with bill
The majority voted against a motion that asked the House to disagree with the main idea of the bill. In parliamentary jargon, they voted against a motion to "declin[e] to give the bill a second reading".
Motion text
That all words after "That" be omitted with a view to substituting the following words:
"the House declines to give the bill a second reading because this bill:
(1) cuts university funding by nearly $4 billion;
(2) hits students with higher fees;
(3) saddles students with bigger debts which they will have to pay back at the same time as they are trying to buy a house or start a family;
(4) compromises teaching and learning, and undermines research; and
*(5) slashes investment in universities at a time when the Government should be investing in both universities and TAFEs in order to guarantee a strong and productive economy". *
absent Yes Not passed by a small majority
3rd Dec 2013, 8:16 PM – Representatives Higher Education Support Amendment (Savings and Other Measures) Bill 2013 - Second Reading - Read a second time
The majority voted in favour of a motion to read the bill for a second time,( Read more about the stages that a bill must pass through in order to become law here. ) which was moved by the Minister for Education Christopher Pyne. This means that the majority agree with the main idea of the bill.
The bill was introduced to remove the HECS-HELP up-front payment discount for units of study with a census date on or after 1 January 2014 and remove the HELP voluntary repayment bonus for repayments made on or after 1 January 2014.(Read more about tertiary education fees and funding in Australia here.) It also applies an efficiency dividend of 2 per cent in 2014 and 1.25 per cent in 2015 to Commonwealth contribution amounts under the Commonwealth Grant Scheme.
absent No Passed by a small majority
20th Jun 2013, 1:31 PM – Representatives Private Members' Business - University Funding - Reverse decision to cut univeristy funding
The majority voted against a motion introduced by Greens MP Adam Bandt, which means that it was unsuccessful. The motion was:
That this House:
(1) condemns the Government's $2.3 billion cuts to university funding and student support; and(Learn more about thee cuts on ABC's Lateline here. )
(2) calls on the Government to reverse the decision.(Read Mr Bandt's explanation of the motion here.)
absent Yes Not passed by a large majority
How "never voted" is worked out
Normally a person's votes count towards a score which is used to work out a simple phrase to summarise their position on a policy. However in this case Tony Abbott was absent during all divisions for this policy. So, it's impossible to say anything concrete other than that they have "never voted" on this policy.