Australia’s ESOS Amendment Bill report delayed

The Senate Education and Employment Legislation Committee’s inquiry report was due to be tabled on October 8, but has now been delayed until October 9, in the week that is poised to be another pivotal moment for international education in Australia.

Stakeholders eagerly awaiting the report’s publication now face an additional day’s delay. While the postponement is brief, concerns have emerged regarding the potential knock-on effects this may have on the Bill’s overall progression.

Following on from four public hearings, in which the Bill was slammed by Senate members and sector leaders alike, stakeholders are keen to learn the Senate’s conclusions.

“It’s hard to see how appropriate oversight by Senate of this critical bill (and any proposed amendments) can possibly be achieved this week,” wrote Neil Fitzroy, managing director for Australasia at Oxford International Education Group on LinkedIn.

Fitzroy highlighted that the Senate only sits Tuesday to Thursday this week, with the next sitting day then being 18th November. He worries this means there’s a serious risk that this Bill will again not receive the appropriate level of scrutiny and review.

All eyes remain on our Senators in Canberra tomorrow – in what is becoming a distressing version of ‘waiting for godot”
_{Neil Fitzroy, Oxford International Education Group}

“This would be a repeat of the failures which have plagued this flawed legislation from the outset… all eyes remain on our Senators in Canberra tomorrow – in what is becoming a distressing version of ‘waiting for godot”.

The Bill is also due to be debated in the Senate on October 9, but it is unknown if the report’s delay will impact this.