(1) With reference to the budget cuts for all government departments in the 2020 21 financial year, including the Department of Higher Education and Training, what is the long-term plan of his department regarding (a) students’ historic debt and (b) safeguarding the integrity and financial sustainability of universities, given the billions owed to the institutions by students and the ongoing cuts on research and funding for universities experienced recently;
(2) whether he is undertaking any consultations with other stakeholders and affected students regarding his department’s processes of addressing the plight of university students falling into the missing middle; if not, why not; if so, who is being consulted in making a holistic decision in addressing this issue?