Mr ABBOTT (Warringah—Prime Minister) (14:03): Madam Speaker, I am used to being verballed by the Leader of the Opposition. I think it is pretty clear what he is on about. He is claiming that there is something fundamentally wrong with the government's proposals for higher education. As I have done before in this House, let me quote Labor's shadow Assistant Treasurer— Opposition members interjecting— Mr ABBOTT: And I am exactly quoting Labor's shadow Assistant Treasurer; I am not reading anything into it; I am not paraphrasing him, I am not making this up. I am quoting from someone called Andrew Leigh, who had this to say in his book Ideas for the Future: Honourable members interjecting— The SPEAKER: The member for Fraser will remove his prop and hand it to the attendant—now! Mr ABBOTT: In his book Ideas for the Future, Labor's shadow Assistant Treasurer said: 'Australian universities should be free to set student fees according to the market value of their degrees. Universities will have a strong incentive to compete on price and quality. Much-needed additional funding will be available to universities that capitalise on their strengths and develop compelling educational offerings. The result will be a better funded, more dynamic and competitive education sector.' Professor Ian Young, chair of the Group of Eight universities and Vice-Chancellor of the Australian National University, in an address to the National Press Club just a couple of months ago, said of the government's policy: 'Deregulation is a game-changer and a building block to making our universities brilliant. On behalf of the Group of Eight, I urge senators to give universities the freedom to be brilliant. Change has to happen.' I refer Professor Young's comments to the Leader of the Opposition.