Senate Division 15 · 30 Mar 2026

Universities Accord (Australian Tertiary Education Commission) Bill 2025 and another - Second Reading - Agree with the bills' main idea

Carried 37 aye · 26 no

What this vote was about

The majority voted in favour of a motion to agree with the main idea of the bills. In parliamentary jargon, they voted to read the bills for a second time. This means the bills can now be considered in greater detail.

What does this bill do?

According to the bills digest, which is a document prepared by the parliamentary library:

The Universities Accord (Australian Tertiary Education Commission) Bill 2025 (the Bill) provides for the establishment of the Australian Tertiary Education Commission (ATEC) to provide stewardship of the higher education system.

The Bill enshrines a National Tertiary Education Objective (NTEO), to which ATEC must have regard in performing its functions.

Establishing ATEC was a recommendation of the Australian Universities Accord, although not all components of the recommendations are included in the Bill.

The Minister would appoint three commissioners, including a First Nations Commissioner. At least one must have experience with vocational education and training (VET). ATEC will be assisted by the Department of Education.

As well as the NTEO, and specific criteria in the Bill, ATEC must have regard to the Minister’s short-term and long-term strategic priorities when performing functions or exercising powers.

ATEC is to provide advice and recommendations on a number of prescribed areas and/or upon request by the Minister. It would also provide:

an annual report on the state of the tertiary education system

advice and recommendations on the Higher Education Standards Framework.

ATEC would establish and monitor performance through mission based compacts with Table A and B providers, which will outline how the provider’s purpose, values and goals align with national, state and local priorities, planning and strategy.

The Universities Accord (Australian Tertiary Education Commission) (Consequential and Transitional Provisions) Bill 2025 (the C&T Bill) amends related legislation to implement the Bill, including transferring responsibilities for the Higher Education Standards Framework to ATEC, and enabling information sharing between the Department of Education and ATEC.

The Coalition has questioned the need for an additional bureaucratic layer, but is yet to announce its position on the Bill.

The Greens have not announced a position on the Bill; however, they appear to generally support the creation of a statutory ATEC.

Sector stakeholders have generally been supportive of an ATEC, but have criticised elements of the Bill, such as ATEC’s limits on providing advice on its own initiative.

The Bills have been referred to the Senate Education and Employment Legislation Committee, due to report on the 26 February 2026.

Context written by They Vote For You volunteers (ODbL), reproduced unchanged.

Second reading: The second reading vote decides whether the chamber agrees with the bill in principle. A second reading amendment attaches commentary or conditions to that agreement without changing the bill's text.

Related bills

Universities Accord (Australian Tertiary Education Commission) (Consequential and Transitional Provisions) Bill 2025

By party

Party	Aye	No
Australian Labor Party	25	0
Liberal–National Coalition	0	21
Australian Greens	11	0
Pauline Hanson's One Nation	0	4
Independent	1	0
United Australia Party	0	1

Every vote

AYE (37)

NO (26)

Divisions this sitting day

Every division the Senate held that day, in order; the one on this page is marked.

Division 1 Motions — Fuel Negatived Senate 29–35
Division 2 Committees — Fuel Carried Senate 35–21
Division 3 Documents — Australian Information Environment; Order for the Production of Documents Carried Senate 35–21
Division 4 Matters of Urgency - Fuel Security - Axe the fuel tax Negatived Senate 29–35
Division 5 Matters of Urgency - Public Transport - Pay for with tax on gas exports Negatived Senate 13–29
Division 6 Business — Rearrangement Carried Senate 37–31
Division 7 Business — Rearrangement Carried Senate 37–31
Division 8 Business — Rearrangement Carried Senate 37–31
Division 9 Business — Rearrangement Carried Senate 37–31
Division 10 Business — Consideration of Legislation Negatived Senate 29–35
Division 11 Fair Work Amendment (Fairer Fuel) Bill 2026 - Limitation of Debate - Review of amendments Negatived Senate 29–34
Division 12 Fair Work Amendment (Fairer Fuel) Bill 2026 - Limitation of Debate - Criticism of Government Negatived Senate 4–40
Division 13 Fair Work Amendment (Fairer Fuel) Bill 2026 - Limitation of Debate - Opposition amendments Negatived Senate 29–35
Division 14 Fair Work Amendment (Fairer Fuel) Bill 2026 - Limitation of Debate - Mandatory terms of workplace determinations must not be less favourable Negatived Senate 17–30
Division 15 Universities Accord (Australian Tertiary Education Commission) Bill 2025 and another - Second Reading - Agree with the bills' main idea Carried Senate 37–26
Division 16 Universities Accord (Australian Tertiary Education Commission) Bill 2025 - in Committee - National Tertiary Education Objective Negatived Senate 28–35
Division 17 Universities Accord (Australian Tertiary Education Commission) Bill 2025 - in Committee - Ministerial agreement Carried Senate 29–15
Division 18 Universities Accord (Australian Tertiary Education Commission) Bill 2025 - in Committee - Greens amendments Carried Senate 36–27
Division 19 Universities Accord (Australian Tertiary Education Commission) Bill 2025 - in Committee - Greens amendments Negatived Senate 12–33
Division 20 Universities Accord (Australian Tertiary Education Commission) Bill 2025 and another - in Committee - Starting salaries and FT employment Negatived Senate 6–39
Division 21 Universities Accord (Australian Tertiary Education Commission) Bill 2025 and another - Third Reading - Pass the bills Carried Senate 36–27