Government stands by its unis plan

The federal government still intends to try for a third time to have its plan for university deregulation approved by parliament, but won't say when or how it will do it.

"You'll know a decision has been made when the legislation is reintroduced," Assistant Education Minister Simon Birmingham told a Senate committee on Wednesday.

He would not say whether the government would reintroduce a copy of the bill rejected by the Senate in March or make the changes it flagged at that time.