Can you tell us: Is "remote study" a relatively recent phenom in AU -- COVID era, or much older? I am curious to learn more. And, what is the history behind it? Was it created/supported because AU is so vast and many people a state might not live near the campus?
Also: I think your suggestion is excellent. We may see this happen in the US if AI cheating gets out of control (which it well).
It definitely existed before, particularly as a revenue stream for some of the smaller universities such as USQ. I think for the big ones it was a bit beneath them, then suddenly COVID came and we had lockdown for a long time in Melbourne. Now it's an expectation that students can access everything from home, but the flipside is everyone complains about how much campus life has declined. Students are paying more for a lower quality education and less amenity.
The same thing exists in South Africa, the university is called UNISA [1]. It has existed for a long time - my parents time. Lots of people that can't afford to go to university (as in, needs to earn an income) studies with them.