Green Light for Education Overhaul: Aussie Bill Edges Closer to Law

By Siya November 24, 2025
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The wheels of Australian parliament are turning once again on a critical piece of legislation, as a key Senate committee has formally given its nod to the government’s sweeping education reform bill. The proposed law, officially named the Education Legislation Amendment (Integrity and Other Measures) Bill 2025, is primarily designed to clean up the international education sector, which has been under scrutiny for poor practices and ‘unscrupulous’ providers.

While the committee has recommended that the Bill be passed, the journey hasn’t been without its bumps. Stakeholders and even the Australian Greens have voiced considerable concern about a few crucial elements. The main sticking points revolve around the powers being handed to the Minister for Education, which critics worry are ‘a step too far’. Specifically, the Bill would allow the Minister to pause or suspend the processing of new provider or course registrations for up to a year; a measure some argue lacks clear criteria and centralises too much power away from independent regulators.

The new legislation is focused on strengthening the quality and integrity of the whole system. This includes tightening the rules around education agents and banning commission payments for students who transfer between providers once they are already in the country—a move aimed squarely at curbing ‘poaching’ and non-genuine enrolments. Furthermore, the Bill is looking to ensure quality by requiring new providers to offer courses to domestic students for two years before they can teach international ones.

Despite the worries over ministerial ‘overreach,’ the Senate Committee has ultimately backed the reforms, accepting the government’s argument that these strong measures are necessary to protect the sector’s reputation and the welfare of overseas students from unethical operators.

This committee sign-off marks a significant step forward for the Australian government’s efforts to safeguard its valuable international education reputation. The desire to crack down on ‘dodgy’ operators and ensure genuine educational experiences for students is entirely understandable and long overdue. However, the accompanying debate about expanded ministerial powers highlights a crucial tension: balancing swift, decisive action to ensure integrity with the need for transparent, procedurally fair governance.

As the Bill now heads for its final vote in the Senate, the sector and international partners will be watching closely to see if the government can deliver a much-needed clean-up without sacrificing the regulatory balance that underpins a world-class education system.

Source: THE PIE NEWS

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