Update on progress of the Bill

The Education and Science Committee has now considered the Bill. The select committee received twenty-three public submissions, and considered these submissions alongside advice from government officials. The select committee's report was tabled in Parliament on 23 October, and government officials to the committee is available at the base of this page. It is officials' introductory briefing on the Bill, and the departmental report on submissions on the Bill.

A significant recommendation that flowed from the select committee process was that academic freedom be made explicit in the purpose statement of the Bill. The Bill, when it is enacted into law, will also be consistent with the existing provisions for academic freedom in sections 160 and 161 of the Education Act 1989.

Other changes through the select committee process clarify certain provisions of the Bill. For example, the select committee has recommended changes to make it explicit that the TEC only approves programmes and activities for which organisations are seeking government funding. Programmes or activities entirely funded by philanthropy and private sources will not be subject to approval by the TEC. This was always the intention of the Bill: it is now explicit. the final legislative stages began in November.

Key advice from