No race-based uni support, says senator

Liberal Democrats senator David Leyonhjelm says schemes to help university students should be based on need, not race.

The NSW senator during a debate on support for indigenous students on Thursday said the disadvantage suffered by Aboriginal Australians continued to be "Australia's greatest policy failure" but throwing money at the problem was not the answer.

"If all university grants were based on need, they would better serve Aboriginal people who really need the grants," he said.