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House of Assembly - Fifty-Fifth Parliament, First Session (55-1)
2023-06-28 Daily Xml
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University Merger

The Hon. D.J. SPEIRS (Black—Leader of the Opposition) (14:10): A supplementary, and this is again to the Premier: the Premier referred to business cases and cost-benefit analyses being undertaken by the two universities. Will the Premier commit to initiating an independent review of those cost-benefit analyses or business cases and, if not, why not?

The Hon. P.B. MALINAUSKAS (Croydon—Premier) (14:10): No, they are matters for the universities themselves. They are their pieces of work: that is not work that is owned by the government.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. P.B. MALINAUSKAS: What I will say is that the prospect of South Australia being home to the largest educator of domestic students in the country does excite us. The prospect of such a large base of domestic students being educated here, being able to grow into the future with a clear eye on equity, with a clear eye on accessibility, does excite us. The prospect of using that as a base to underpin yet more growth in international students coming to South Australia from countries we engage with, and them bringing that source of income to underpin growth in research in South Australia, that excites us.

The idea of more South Australian students getting access to a world-leading institution that gradually, over the years to come, makes its way up the rankings so that South Australians are in receipt of one of the most sought-after pieces of paper anywhere in the world, then applying that learning to be able to pursue the extraordinary economic opportunities coming our way, that excites us.

Let me be clear about something that is well known, that is, there will be those who are opponents of the idea of the creation of a new university. That is nothing to be surprised at; those opponents have been around for as long as this idea has been on the cards. What is new here is, first, potentially those universities forming their own opinion that now is the time for them to come together for the benefit of their own institutions and the state and, secondly, that they have the prospect of doing that with a government that has got their back, with a government that is willing to be innovative and bold, a government that is willing to potentially invest in universities because we appreciate the value of higher education.

We appreciate the power that tertiary education provides to young people in our state to be able to participate in the economy of tomorrow. We are a government that is willing to lead. We are not going to be a government that gets approached by universities and says, 'We would like, we believe that—

The Hon. J.A.W. GARDNER: Point of order, sir.

The SPEAKER: Premier, there is a point of order from the member for Morialta. I anticipate—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order, members to my left and right! I will hear the member for Morialta, who I anticipate is going to draw my attention to the fact that our timing device—

The Hon. J.A.W. GARDNER: No, sir. I was drawn to standing order 98. The Kennedy bit aside, the question is actually specifically about a review of the university's business cases.

The SPEAKER: Very well, member for Morialta. I will listen carefully—

The Hon. A. Koutsantonis interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! The member for West Torrens is called to order. I will listen carefully. I observe—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! Premier, you have two minutes.

The Hon. P.B. MALINAUSKAS: In the event that the universities do arrive at the conclusion that they would like to create a new one, and the government is able to facilitate that, then, as the Deputy Leader of the Opposition referred to in a recent InDaily article, there will be a need for legislation. This is something that the Deputy Premier of course has been turning her mind to in great detail. Of course, if in the event that the—

Mr Patterson: So they have already made their mind up?

The SPEAKER: Order! Member for Morphett!

The Hon. P.B. MALINAUSKAS: If in the event that the universities do arrive at that conclusion, there will be a need for legislation to be introduced into the parliament and that will be an opportunity for all and sundry to be able to see the formation of that and for the opposition to scrutinise, as they absolutely should, that proposition. It will also be an important test for everybody in this parliament: an important test of whether or not we are committed to making the bold decisions into the future to set this state up for the long term or whether or not we are going to only contemplate the sort of hold-back mentality that could deprive a new institution being formed in a way that they both want. That would be an extraordinary thing for people in this place to actively consider doing. We on this side of the house are on the side of progress, we on this side of the house are about advancing the state's interests into the long term, and we are willing to make those decisions accordingly.

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