SenateDivision 21 · 30 Mar 2026

Universities Accord (Australian Tertiary Education Commission) Bill 2025 and another - Third Reading - Pass the bills

Passed36 aye · 27 no

What this vote was about

The majority voted in favour of a motion to pass the bills in Senate. The Universities Accord (Australian Tertiary Education Commission) Bill 2025 will now return to the House of Representatives, where our MPs will decide on whether they agree with the Senate amendments.

Because the Universities Accord (Australian Tertiary Education Commission) (Consequential and Transitional Provisions) Bill 2025 has been passed in its final form in both houses of parliament, so it will now become law.

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.

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 Australian Tertiary Education Commission (ATEC), and enabling information sharing between the Department of Education and ATEC.

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.

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

Third reading: The third reading is the chamber's final vote on the bill in the form it has reached. Passing it sends the bill to the other chamber, or on for assent.

Related bills

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

By party

Party	Aye	No
Australian Labor Party	24	0
Liberal–National Coalition	0	22
Australian Greens	11	0
Pauline Hanson's One Nation	0	4
Independent	1	0
United Australia Party	0	1

Every vote

AYE (36)

NO (27)

Other divisions this sitting day

What the Senate divided on around this vote, in order.

30 Mar 2026Motions — FuelSenate 29–35
30 Mar 2026Committees — FuelSenate 35–21
30 Mar 2026Documents — Australian Information Environment; Order for the Production of DocumentsSenate 35–21
30 Mar 2026Matters of Urgency - Fuel Security - Axe the fuel taxSenate 29–35
30 Mar 2026Matters of Urgency - Public Transport - Pay for with tax on gas exportsSenate 13–29
30 Mar 2026Business — RearrangementSenate 37–31
30 Mar 2026Business — RearrangementSenate 37–31
30 Mar 2026Business — RearrangementSenate 37–31
30 Mar 2026Business — RearrangementSenate 37–31
30 Mar 2026Business — Consideration of LegislationSenate 29–35
30 Mar 2026Fair Work Amendment (Fairer Fuel) Bill 2026 - Limitation of Debate - Review of amendmentsSenate 29–34
30 Mar 2026Fair Work Amendment (Fairer Fuel) Bill 2026 - Limitation of Debate - Criticism of GovernmentSenate 4–40
30 Mar 2026Fair Work Amendment (Fairer Fuel) Bill 2026 - Limitation of Debate - Opposition amendmentsSenate 29–35
30 Mar 2026Fair Work Amendment (Fairer Fuel) Bill 2026 - Limitation of Debate - Mandatory terms of workplace determinations must not be less favourableSenate 17–30
30 Mar 2026Universities Accord (Australian Tertiary Education Commission) Bill 2025 and another - Second Reading - Agree with the bills' main ideaSenate 37–26
30 Mar 2026Universities Accord (Australian Tertiary Education Commission) Bill 2025 - in Committee - National Tertiary Education ObjectiveSenate 28–35
30 Mar 2026Universities Accord (Australian Tertiary Education Commission) Bill 2025 - in Committee - Ministerial agreementSenate 29–15
30 Mar 2026Universities Accord (Australian Tertiary Education Commission) Bill 2025 - in Committee - Greens amendmentsSenate 36–27
30 Mar 2026Universities Accord (Australian Tertiary Education Commission) Bill 2025 - in Committee - Greens amendmentsSenate 12–33
30 Mar 2026Universities Accord (Australian Tertiary Education Commission) Bill 2025 and another - in Committee - Starting salaries and FT employmentSenate 6–39