When Chasing Integrity Turns Into Overreach
When Chasing Integrity Turns Into Overreach
jan karel bejcek Under the proposed Education Legislation Amendment (Integrity and Other Measures) Bill 2025, the minister can now suspend or stop provider registrations and course approvals for up to 12 months, without parliamentary oversight.
These powers go beyond quality assurance; they amount to administrative gatekeeping of who can participate in the education market. There are no clear, objective criteria for when such suspensions should apply, nor mechanisms to appeal them in real time. Essentially, the Minister can stop progress based on perception, not performance.
The Bill continues the pattern of placing the entire burden of integrity on compliant providers, such as:
- Strict reporting of education agent commissions, including non-monetary benefits;
- Mandatory 10-day notifications of any ownership changes;
- Automatic cancellation if a provider does not enrol students within 12 months;
- Potential scrutiny if any associate is under investigation, regardless of the outcome.
For legitimate private colleges, these measures mean more red tape, higher compliance costs, and uncertainty in business planning. Yet, as history has repeatedly shown, the “shonky few” will still find loopholes.
The irony is that the government creates opportunities for questionable actors through inconsistent policy settings, poor enforcement, and risk-level changes based on volume over quality.
If the government wants integrity, it must start by managing processes with transparency and consistency. Providers, regulators, and government agencies must collaborate and not be left in dark. Australia’s international education sector doesn’t need more fear. It needs leadership with understanding.
#InternationalEducation #ESOS #AustralianEducation #Regulation #Policy #Educli #EdTech #Migration #Leadership #Compliance #EducationIntegrity
