Senator ABETZ (Tasmania—Leader of the Government in the Senate, Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for the Public Service and Minister for Employment) (14:01): I can indicate to the honourable senator that, yes, the government is committed to deregulation of universities. We believe it is very good policy. I would just remind the honourable senator that a former distinguished Labor premier and the defeated Labor candidate for Forde, Peter Beattie, warned: 'Make no mistake, without funding reform, Australian universities will inevitably slip towards mediocrity'. That is the Labor Party's proposal for the universities. Even the Labor Party's own statesmen have called them out in relation to this matter. In relation to the assertion of $100,000 degrees, Professor Chubb and others have ruled that out and have exposed the mischief that the Labor Party have been peddling on this. Senator Kim Carr: Professor Chubb? Better check your briefing notes! The PRESIDENT: Order! Senator Carr, you have asked your question. Senator ABETZ: In relation to a 12-month reprieve for the scientific community, I simply remind the minister that, under his charge, the Labor Party would have stopped funding as of the end of June 2015. There is not a single cent in the Labor Party forward estimates for the research and science sector in our community. We are committed to that sector and that is why we said we would make money available, to the tune of $150 million, which has been roundly welcomed by that sector. What we have also said is that, given the discussion on higher education, we would decouple the two issues to provide that security, but also to seek to pursue the issue of university deregulation which is so vital for our children's future. (Time expired)