Universities Accord (Opening the Doors of Opportunity) Bill 2026

A modest majority voted in favour of an amendment motion introduced by Jason Clare MP (Labor).

The 'consideration in detail' stage (known as 'committee of the whole' in the Senate) is when parliament examines a bill line-by-line. Unlike a second reading amendment, an amendment at this stage is a literal attempt to rewrite the actual text of the proposed law. It is used to add, delete, or change specific words, numbers, or clauses before the bill goes to a final vote.

Because the majority voted 'Yes', the amendment was successful and the bill's text will be changed.

Amendment text

(1) Schedule 1, item 2, page 3 (line 23), after "30-15(1)", insert "or (1A)".

(2) Schedule 1, item 2, page 4 (line 20), after "30-15(1)", insert "or (1A)".

(3) Schedule 1, item 2, page 6 (lines 2 to 7), omit subsection 30-15(1), substitute:

Allocation to Table A providers

(1) The *ATEC must, in writing, allocate a specified whole number of Commonwealth supported places for *higher education courses for each year to each *Table A provider.

Allocation to providers other than Table A providers

(1A) The *ATEC may, in writing, allocate a specified whole number of Commonwealth supported places for *higher education courses for a specified year to a higher education provider referred to in subparagraph 30-1(1)(a)(ii).

Domestic student profile

(4) Schedule 1, item 2, page 6 (line 9), after "subsection (1)", insert "or (1A)".

(5) Schedule 1, item 2, page 6 (line 12), after "subsection (1)", insert "or (1A)".

(6) Schedule 1, item 2, page 6 (lines 14 to 15), omit subsection 30-20(1).

(7) Schedule 1, item 2, page 6 (line 16), omit the heading to subsection 30-20(2), substitute:

Number of places that must be allocated

(8) Schedule 1, item 2, page 6 (lines 17 to 18), omit all the words from and including "The" to and including "exceed", substitute "A *Table A provider's *domestic student profile for a year must be equal to".

(9) Schedule 1, item 2, page 6 (line 23), after "growth allocation", insert "(if any)".

(10) Schedule 1, item 2, page 8 (line 30), omit "30-15(1)", substitute "30-15(1A)".

(11) Schedule 1, item 2, page 9 (line 29), after "30-15(1)", insert "or (1A)".

(12) Schedule 1, item 5, page 13 (lines 6 to 7), omit paragraph 33-5(2)(a).

(13) Schedule 1, item 5, page 13 (line 8), omit "such an allocation has been made and".

(14) Schedule 1, item 5, page 13 (line 10), omit "such an allocation has been made and".

(15) Schedule 1, item 5, page 15 (lines 7 to 11), omit paragraph 33-5(5)(a), substitute:

(a) if the provider does not have a *designated courses profile for the year—nil; or

(16) Schedule 1, item 5, page 20 (line 12), omit "30-15(1)", substitute "30-15(1A)".

(17) Schedule 1, item 22, page 31 (after line 29), after subsection 36-65(2), insert:

Limits on conditions

(2A) The Minister must not determine a condition under subsection (1) that:

(a) specifies a matter in respect of which the Minister could have made a determination under subsection 36-15(2) of this Act (or could have made such a determination but for subsection 36-15(4) of this Act or section 48 (remaking disallowed legislative instruments) of the Legislation Act 2003); or

(b) relates to industrial relations matters.

Note: The Minister has the power under subsection 36-15(2) to determine, by legislative instrument, that students are not to be enrolled as Commonwealth supported students in particular courses. Subsection 36-15(4) requires the determination to be made at least 6 months before students are able next to commence the courses.

Conditions to be published

(2B) The Minister must cause each determination made under subsection (1) to be published on the Department's website.

Determination not a legislative instrument