Universities Accord (Opening the Doors of Opportunity) Bill 2026

Ms PENFOLD (Lyne) (13:28): I rise to speak on the Universities Accord (Opening the Doors of Opportunity) Bill 2026. I acknowledge the member for Moore and his time he spent in the wonderful community of Dungog. It is a terrific place and I know that the teachers and educators in that town do a wonderful job.

Well done. As the member for Lyne, I approach this debate from the perspective of regional Australia and, in particular, the Mid North Coast and Hunter region of New South Wales. For many Australians living in our major cities, attending university is often a matter of choice, but for many Australians living in regional communities, attending university is often a matter of opportunity, and that difference is important.

In Sydney, Brisbane or Melbourne, students can choose between multiple universities within commuting distance of home. They can often live with their families while they study. For a young person growing up in Dungog, Taree, Wingham, Gloucester, Harrington, Tea Gardens, Bulahdelah, Forster, Tuncurry or the Manning Valley or the many other small towns and hamlets in my electorate— The DEPUTY SPEAKER ( Ms Claydon ): This debate is interrupted in accordance with standing order 43.

The debate may resume to later hour, and the member will be granted leave to continue speaking when the debate is resumed.