MEDIA RELEASE
LABOR SERVES UP KNOWLEDGE NATION 2 – THE SOFT
OPTION
23 July, 2003 MIN 421/03
Labor today reinforced the view that its approach to
universities, as to most things, is to take the ‘soft option’. The
Macklin proposals lack leadership and strategic vision.
Labor’s policy ‘hard work’ has amounted to agreeing to the vast
majority of the measures proposed in the Government’s higher
education policy, Our Universities: Backing Australia’s Future,
but predictably leaving the difficult decisions to others.
Labor’s policy denies universities the flexibility they have all
been asking for to vary HECS fees within a set range.
It is dismissive of the need to reform the governance
arrangements and management of our universities.
It denies those Australian students willing to support themselves
through university the opportunity to take up a fee-paying place.
Labor also says it will refuse loans to students, not just domestic
full fee payers but the more than 30,000 students in private
institutions.
Although fee paying domestic places are only offered by
universities after they have filled all their HECS places, Labor is
determined Australians will not be able to take advantage of
opportunities available to overseas students.
By announcing that the 9,400 full fee paying domestic places will
be withdrawn from universities, these students will have no choice
but to take up HECS places. Labor’s 20,000 new places ‘promise’ is
therefore effectively halved.
All of these elements are necessary for an internationally
competitive and high quality university sector.
Already overseas universities are advertising on our shores
offering a "truly world class university experience" at a
prestigious overseas university.
Labor has clearly been too consumed with leadership battles to
focus on careful policy development.
Labor’s plan will not deliver the sustainability our universities
need in order to remain relevant to the needs of students and the
community over the long-term.
Labor has, as ever, simply taken the soft option of reaching for
the public cheque book.
It became clear today why Simon Crean was so desperate to pry his
education spokesperson Jenny Macklin out of her job before the
release of Labor’s long awaited policy for universities.
Media Contact:
Dr Nelson’s Office: Ross Hampton 0419 484 095
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