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Media Release
BOB CARR’S DESPERATE UNIVERSITY SMOKESCREEN
18 February, 2004 MIN 629/04
In a desperate attempt to create a smokescreen to hide the NSW Government’s failures in hospitals, schools and transport, Bob Carr has today attacked university funding.
Visiting the University of Western Sydney (UWS), Premier Carr failed to explain why his Government continues to strip UWS of $10 million each year in payroll tax while providing just $317,000 in grants.
Premier Carr also needs to explain why his Government has increased fees at all NSW TAFEs by up to 300%. TAFE students have no access to deferred loans and must pay their fees up-front. This decision will hit the most educationally disadvantaged students in Western Sydney, with more than 26% of TAFE students coming from the poorest socio-economic status groups.
These are the facts in relation to the University of Western Sydney. Facts ignored by Premier Carr.
Under the Australian Government’s higher education reforms, UWS will receive approximately $7 million to assist the university during the transition to a new funding system that will ensure its long-term future.
At a cost of $2.4 million, the Australian Government has also allocated a minimum of 200 additional university places, growing to 547 places by 2008. UWS is also well placed to share in the distribution of 34,000 additional HECS places, which have been created at a cost of more than $700 million as part of the Government’s reform package.
UWS will benefit from a range of measures in the Government’s $2.6 billion reform package, including:
- approximately $0.7 million in additional funding for its 1,145 nursing places in 2004, to assist with the costs associated with clinical practice;
- approximately $1.4 million in additional funding next year for 2,318 teaching places to assist with the costs associated with the teaching practicum;
- $194,000 this year for 97 Commonwealth Education Costs Scholarships to assist UWS students with their education costs;
- $460,000 for 115 Commonwealth Accommodation Scholarships to help students with the costs associated with moving away from home to study;
- access to the new $250 million Learning and Teaching Performance Fund; and
- access to the $36 million Collaboration and Structural Reform Fund.
What Premier Carr probably did not tell the people of Western Sydney was that a detailed analysis of federal Labor’s higher education policy has confirmed that Labor has under-funded its university policy by more than $500 million. Labor’s plan to reduce HECS for science and maths students will create a massive blackhole for universities, with UWS having to find more than $7 million to make up Labor’s shortfall.
Under the reform package universities make their own decision about HECS levels - from $0 to 25% above current levels. If HECS fees increase at UWS it will only be because the UWS Vice Chancellor decides they should increase.
Bob Carr clearly thinks that Sydneysiders are easily distracted from the issues for which he has responsibility.
I would welcome the opportunity to explain to Premier Carr the true facts relating to UWS and await his call.
Media Contact: Dr Nelson’s Office: Ross Hampton 0419 484 095
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