Levy Payment Obligations for Registered Higher Education Providers
Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency Amendment (National Student Ombudsman Levy) Bill 2026
House of Representatives
Senate
Assent
Links to official parliament websites
Effects of this bill
If this bill passes, it means that:
The Debate
What different members said when this bill was debated:
Jason Clare ALP
“I move: That this bill be now read a second time. This is the bill I referred to a moment ago. It will amend the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency Act 2011 to provide for collection and administration of the levy established in the previous bill, including any penalty for late payment. I commend the bill to the House. Debate adjourned.”
Julian Leeser LIB
“I rise to speak on the National Student Ombudsman Levy Bill 2026, and to also comment on the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency Amendment (National Student Ombudsman Levy) Bill 2026. Let me start by talking through the coalition’s position on these bills. The coalition does not oppose them.”
Tom French ALP
“These bills are technically informed, but the policy question behind them is simple: when a student has a serious problem with their university or higher education provider, where do they go if the provider’s own complaints process does not work? For too long, the answer was often, ’Nowhere particularly useful.”
Matt Burnell ALP
“The National Student Ombudsman Levy Bill 2026 is about ensuring that students across Australia continue to have access to a free, independent and effective ombudsman for their needs. This is also about making sure that this important service has a sustainable funding model for the future.”
Jess Walsh ALP
“I move: That these bills be now read a second time. I seek leave to have the second reading speeches incorporated in Hansard. Leave granted. The speeches read as follows— NATIONAL STUDENT OMBUDSMAN LEVY BILL 2026 Mr Speaker, this is the first of two bills I will introduce today relating to the funding of the National Student Ombudsman.”