This edition of Simms in the Senate covers Senator Robert Simms' recent work on promoting green jobs for SA, protecting the Great Australian Bight, standing with the community against a nuclear waste dump in regional SA, phasing out live animal export, and the latest campaign news on marriage equality, Safe Schools, tertiary education, and more.

Greens higher education spokesperson Senator Robert Simms says the Prime Minister's comments in last night's leaders debate show the Liberals are still pursuing deregulation.

"After the budget, the Liberals would have had us believe that their deregulation agenda was on the shelf, but as we in the Greens predicted, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull declared in last night's leader's debate it is still in full swing," Senator Simms said.

The Australian Greens would cease taxpayer money being poured into the broken for-profit VET sector and fund a $400 million TAFE rescue package to ensure investment goes to where it is needed most: helping provide Australians with the opportunity to further their education and increase their skills in the workforce.

The Greens are proud defenders of a strong TAFE system. To help provide the high-level skills and workforce development that is vital to our economic future the Greens will:

The Australian Greens have called out the Liberal party for its smoke-and-mirrors approach to higher education after last night's budget announcement revealed plans to cut 20 per cent of funding from the university sector in the 2017 forward estimates and beyond.

Australian Greens higher education spokesperson Senator Robert Simms has urged the government to drop its plan to deregulate university fees, which would burden students with massive debts when they graduate.

"The Greens are proposing a reduction in student debt by lowering HELP fees by 20 per cent, which would be paid for by maintaining the deficit levy. There is a fairer alternative that delivers top-class university education to young Australians, paid for by the people who can best afford it," Senator Robert Simms said.

Greens higher education spokesperson Senator Robert Simms has revealed the Greens plan to reduce HELP debts by 20 per cent and re-instate student start-up scholarships.

"We're constantly hearing the argument from the government that students need to carry the burden for their chronic under-funding of the university sector, but this is simply untrue and unfair. Students shouldn't be seen as cash cows. Investment in higher education is in the public good," Senator Simms said.

The Greens are calling on the Government to dump its deregulation agenda after new PBO costings released today exposed the reform's $1.2 billion price-tag.

"The Greens have been arguing for years that deregulation is a false economy. Today, we have further evidence that this is the case. Indeed by 2025-26 it will cost taxpayers $1.2 billion," Greens higher education spokesperson Senator Robert Simms said.

Australian Greens higher education spokesperson Senator Robert Simms says PBO costings reveal the Government's deregulation agenda is a ticking debt time bomb.

"It's obvious the Government's deregulation plan that would see massive increases in the cost of university degrees will result in higher student debts. The Parliamentary Budget Office report referenced in The Age today showed on average, a basic three-year degree would see students graduating with $50,500 HECS/HELP debts if this deregulation agenda is not abandoned," Senator Simms said.

The Australian Greens have warned that the Liberals will create a new generation of young Australians saddled with record debt, if they proceed with their plan to hike up HECS/HELP fees.