University deregulation bill defeated in Senate

The Abbott government's overhaul of universities has been defeated in the Senate.

The government has been chasing support for controversial university deregulation, agreeing to multiple changes to convince key crossbench senators to jump on board.

They won over independent senator John Madigan and Family First senator Bob Day.

'Stop texting me, Pyne': Lazarus hits back.

But Palmer United Party senators Glenn Lazarus and Dio Wang refused to back the bill despite being "inundated with text messages from Christopher Pyne virtually begging" PUP to support it.

With independent Jacqui Lambie also completely against the policy the government couldn't secure the numbers to pass its legislation.

The vote was 33 to 31.