Jason Clare’s attempt to cover up Labor’s regrettable treatment of regional universities reeks of desperate politics.
After the Albanese government almost doubled the number of international students to more than 800,000, Mr Clare is now trying to deceive Australians with his chaotic and confused student cap.
The government’s own numbers reveal Labor has looked after the big end of town while punishing the regions.
Labor promised it would return foreign students to pre-pandemic levels.
But Labor’s cap increases foreign students at Australia’s most prestigious Group of Eight universities by 11 per cent – from 52,048 places in 2019 to 57,950 in 2025.
Over the same period, places at regional universities have been cut by 16 per cent – from 19,021 to just 15,900.
For instance, the University of Sydney, which made an astonishing $1.45 billion from international students last year, received 11,900 places in 2025.
Labor’s student cap reeks of elitism and unfairness which will do nothing to fix Australia’s migration and housing crisis. That is why the Coalition will oppose the student cap legislation.
In his media release today, Mr Clare deceptively compared his student cap to this year’s international student commencements at regional universities which hit a new low of 8,475 as a result of Labor’s discriminatory Ministerial Direction 107.
If elected, a Dutton Coalition Government will take the decisive action needed to reduce migration so that our housing and infrastructure can catch up.
This includes a cap which will go further to reduce student numbers than Labor, specifically at major metropolitan unis to relieve stress on rental markets in our major cities.