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1. What was proposedTaimus Werner-GibbingsLabor · Government backbench
   Read the original wording (480 words)

   That this Assembly: (1) notes that: (a) international education is one of the Territory’s largest export industries, worth around $1.4 billion a year and accounting for more than half of the Territory’s services exports, with international students making up nearly half of Canberra’s 40,000 tertiary students and contributing significantly to the local economy, workforce and community life; (b) according to Study Australia, Canberra welcomes nearly 20,000 international students from over 100 countries each year, reflecting its reputation as Australia’s education capital; (c) international students help meet workforce needs while studying, build careers in Canberra after graduation and help make Canberra a more welcoming, inclusive and multicultural city; (d) skilled migration addresses shortages across sectors including health, education, IT, construction and professional services, and the Territory’s long-term prosperity depends on attracting and retaining such workers, researchers and innovators; (e) the Australian Government recognises international education as a major national economic contributor, and migration and education policy settings can significantly affect the Territory’s economy, workforce and research capability; and (f) clear pathways from study to skilled employment serve both national migration objectives and the Territory’s workforce needs; (2) recognises that: (a) the Territory’s economy is built on a highly educated workforce, a strong higher education sector and knowledge-intensive industries, with universities among its largest employers and drivers of research excellence; (b) Canberra offers international students and skilled migrants a genuine point of difference with recognised institutions, strong graduate outcomes, a safe community, valuable post-study work rights, affordability relative to other capitals and real career prospects; (c) retaining international graduates strengthens workforce development, productivity and business growth, and gives employers access to globally connected talent; (d) through Study Canberra, the Government has identified opportunities to deepen education, talent and economic links with Southeast Asia and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN); and (e) recent Australian Government migration reforms preserve exemptions for ASEAN students and higher degree research students, including PhD candidates, recognising a contribution vital to Canberra’s research capability, innovation and future workforce; and (3) calls on the Government to: (a) continue to advocate to the Australian Government for migration and education settings that recognise the Territory’s unique economic, demographic and research-intensive circumstances, including for higher degree research students; (b) work with universities, employers and community organisations to attract and retain international students, skilled migrants and researchers, and connect them with employment and settlement services; (c) identify opportunities to retain graduates in sectors facing workforce shortages and areas of strategic importance to the Territory economy; (d) continue to promote Canberra internationally as Australia’s education capital and expand Study Canberra’s engagement with priority ASEAN markets; (e) make the most of exemptions and priority pathways available to ASEAN students and higher degree research students; and (f) report to the Assembly by the last sitting day of June 2027 on progress supporting international students and skilled migration outcomes in the Territory. Debate ensued.

2. Proposed changeAndrew BraddockGreens · Crossbench23 September 2026

   Grouped by key words as: added a new call or point.

   The exact wording of this change

   together: 1. After all words in paragraph (1)(f), insert: “(g) international students can face particular challenges relating to mental health and wellbeing, social isolation, housing affordability, discrimination and racism, which can affect their experience of living and studying in Canberra;”. 2. After all words in paragraph (2)(e), insert: “(f) recent Australian Government migration reforms will restrict the ability of a significant number of international students to be accompanied by family members, with potential consequences for student wellbeing and access to family support;”. 3. After all words in paragraph (3)(b), insert: “(c) work with universities, international student representatives, health services and community organisations to identify and address gaps in accessible and affordable mental health and wellbeing services for international students, including current barriers to service access;”. 4. In paragraphs (2)(e), new (3)(e) and (3)(f), omit “ASEAN students”, substitute “students from ASEAN and Pacific nations”. Debate continued.

   Agreed on the voices. No individual votes were recorded. Its wording is in the final text.

3. What the Assembly decidedAgreed

   Decided on the voices: no individual votes were recorded, so this doesn’t show that every MLA agreed.

   Final agreed wording, with changes marked

   That this Assembly: (1) notes that: (a) international education is one of the Territory’s largest export industries, worth around $1.4 billion a year and accounting for more than half of the Territory’s services exports, with international students making up nearly half of Canberra’s 40,000 tertiary students and contributing significantly to the local economy, workforce and community life; (b) according to Study Australia, Canberra welcomes nearly 20,000 international students from over 100 countries each year, reflecting its reputation as Australia’s education capital; (c) international students help meet workforce needs while studying, build careers in Canberra after graduation and help make Canberra a more welcoming, inclusive and multicultural city; (d) skilled migration addresses shortages across sectors including health, education, IT, construction and professional services, and the Territory’s long-term prosperity depends on attracting and retaining such workers, researchers and innovators; (e) the Australian Government recognises international education as a major national economic contributor, and migration and education policy settings can significantly affect the Territory’s economy, workforce and research capability; (f) clear pathways from study to skilled employment serve both national migration objectives and the Territory’s workforce needs; and (g) international students can face particular challenges relating to mental health and wellbeing, social isolation, housing affordability, discrimination and racism, which can affect their experience of living and studying in CanberraBraddock; (2) recognises that: (a) the Territory’s economy is built on a highly educated workforce, a strong higher education sector and knowledge-intensive industries, with universities among its largest employers and drivers of research excellence; (b) Canberra offers international students and skilled migrants a genuine point of difference with recognised institutions, strong graduate outcomes, a safe community, valuable post-study work rights, affordability relative to other capitals and real career prospects; (c) retaining international graduates strengthens workforce development, productivity and business growth, and gives employers access to globally connected talent; (d) through Study Canberra, the Government has identified opportunities to deepen education, talent and economic links with Southeast Asia and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN); (e) recent Australian Government migration reforms preserve exemptions for students from ASEAN and Pacific nationsBraddock and higher degree research students, including PhD candidates, recognising a contribution vital to Canberra’s research capability, innovation and future workforce; and (f) recent Australian Government migration reforms will restrict the ability of a significant number of international students to be accompanied by family members, with potential consequences for student wellbeing and access to family supportBraddock; and (3) calls on the Government to: (a) continue to advocate to the Australian Government for migration and education settings that recognise the Territory’s unique economic, demographic and research-intensive circumstances, including for higher degree research students; (b) work with universities, employers and community organisations to attract and retain international students, skilled migrants and researchers, and connect them with employment and settlement services; (c) work with universities, international student representatives, health services and community organisations to identify and address gaps in accessible and affordable mental health and wellbeing services for international students, including current barriers to service accessBraddock; (d) identify opportunities to retain graduates in sectors facing workforce shortages and areas of strategic importance to the Territory economy; (e) continue to promote Canberra internationally as Australia’s education capital and expand Study Canberra’s engagement with priority ASEAN and Pacific nations markets; (f) make the most of exemptions and priority pathways available to students from ASEAN and Pacific nations and higher degree research students; and (g) report to the Assembly by the last sitting day of June 2027 on progress supporting international students and skilled migration outcomes in the Territory.

   Original and final wording compared

   taken out put in

   That this Assembly: (1) notes that: (a) international education is one of the Territory’s largest export industries, worth around $1.4 billion a year and accounting for more than half of the Territory’s services exports, with international students making up nearly half of Canberra’s 40,000 tertiary students and contributing significantly to the local economy, workforce and community life; (b) according to Study Australia, Canberra welcomes nearly 20,000 international students from over 100 countries each year, reflecting its reputation as Australia’s education capital; (c) international students help meet workforce needs while studying, build careers in Canberra after graduation and help make Canberra a more welcoming, inclusive and multicultural city; (d) skilled migration addresses shortages across sectors including health, education, IT, construction and professional services, and the Territory’s long-term prosperity depends on attracting and retaining such workers, researchers and innovators; (e) the Australian Government recognises international education as a major national economic contributor, and migration and education policy settings can significantly affect the Territory’s economy, workforce and research capability; [taken out: and](f) clear pathways from study to skilled employment serve both national migration objectives and the Territory’s workforce needs; [put in: and (g) international students can face particular challenges relating to mental health and wellbeing, social isolation, housing affordability, discrimination and racism, which can affect their experience of living and studying in Canberra;](2) recognises that: (a) the Territory’s economy is built on a highly educated workforce, a strong higher education sector and knowledge-intensive industries, with universities among its largest employers and drivers of research excellence; (b) Canberra offers international students and skilled migrants a genuine point of difference with recognised institutions, strong graduate outcomes, a safe community, valuable post-study work rights, affordability relative to other capitals and real career prospects; (c) retaining international graduates strengthens workforce development, productivity and business growth, and gives employers access to globally connected talent; (d) through Study Canberra, the Government has identified opportunities to deepen education, talent and economic links with Southeast Asia and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN); [taken out: and](e) recent Australian Government migration reforms preserve exemptions for [taken out: ASEAN]students [put in: from ASEAN]and [put in: Pacific nations and]higher degree research students, including PhD candidates, recognising a contribution vital to Canberra’s research capability, innovation and future workforce; and [put in: (f) recent Australian Government migration reforms will restrict the ability of a significant number of international students to be accompanied by family members, with potential consequences for student wellbeing and access to family support; and](3) calls on the Government to: (a) continue to advocate to the Australian Government for migration and education settings that recognise the Territory’s unique economic, demographic and research-intensive circumstances, including for higher degree research students; (b) work with universities, employers and community organisations to attract and retain international students, skilled migrants and researchers, and connect them with employment and settlement services; (c) [put in: work with universities, international student representatives, health services and community organisations to]identify [put in: and address gaps in accessible and affordable mental health and wellbeing services for international students, including current barriers to service access; (d) identify]opportunities to retain graduates in sectors facing workforce shortages and areas of strategic importance to the Territory economy; [taken out: (d)][put in: (e)]continue to promote Canberra internationally as Australia’s education capital and expand Study Canberra’s engagement with priority ASEAN [put in: and Pacific nations]markets; [taken out: (e)][put in: (f)]make the most of exemptions and priority pathways available to [taken out: ASEAN]students [put in: from ASEAN]and [put in: Pacific nations and]higher degree research students; and [taken out: (f)][put in: (g)]report to the Assembly by the last sitting day of June 2027 on progress supporting international students and skilled migration outcomes in the Territory. [taken out: Debate ensued.]

   Compared word by word by computer, ignoring punctuation. It shows what differs, not which change made each difference; the steps above show that.