What he says: Universities ignore improving access to higher education for Australians outside cities according to Education Minister Dan Tehan. “We could not find one university research project that investigated lifting regional/rural attendance at universities that had received Australian Research Council funding going back to 2001,“ Mr Tehan is expected to say in a speech to be delivered today at the Universities Australia conference.

And in a rebuttal of funding cut claims Mr Tehan says universities had a combined operating surplus of $2bn in 2017, up 28 per cent on the previous year. “Universities spent $327m on advertising, marketing and promotional expenses,” the minister’s text states.

In a fighting speech, Mr Tehan focuses on government policies to meet the education needs of rural and regional communities, adding “there is still work to do, both for the Federal Government and the higher education sector, to make a lasting and real difference to the opportunities offered to regional, rural and remote students.”

And he signals the government’s continuing interest in increasing the 3 per cent of international students that now study in regions.

“We need to promote our regional universities better – including a lower cost of living, smaller class sizes, and a different experience of Australia. Regional universities have also been successful specialising in courses where they hold a competitive advantage – such as marine biology or mining engineering.  Basing specialist courses in regional areas is another way to support a diversified offering for students.” Mr Tehan says.

What it means: If Labor wins the election, Mr Tehan will be celebrated by the incoming finance minister. By signalling indifference to the funding concerns of the higher education community outside the regions Mr Tehan will make it possible for Labor to reduce the cash-size of promises.

With the government signalling it has nothing for city universities, whatever Labor promises will be enough to lock in higher education support.