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MEDIA RELEASE
NT INSTITUTIONS $1 MILLION WORSE OFF UNDER LABOR
30 July, 2003 MIN NT427/03
A detailed analysis by the Commonwealth Department of Education
Science and Training, and verified by the Department of Finance, has
revealed a massive black hole in the costing of Labor’s higher
education policy.
Labor’s ‘Aim Higher’ policy promises that all maths and
science students will be moved from HECS band 2 to HECS band 1.
The Commonwealth Department of Education Science and Training
analysis reports that this will cost $262.5 million dollars. Labor
has budgeted just $43.6 million.
Labor’s policy will require the $218.9 million shortfall to be
borne by the institutions themselves.
There are currently an estimated 275 maths and science student
places in two Northern Territory institutions.
Covering the shortfall would cost Northern Territory institutions
around $1 million.
The estimated indicative cost to Northern Territory
institutions over three years of making up the shortfall is
indicated in the following table.
Labor’s policy document states:
"Labor believes that areas of national skills shortage—like
maths and science—should be in the
lowest HECS band to encourage more students to pursue these
fields.
Under Aim Higher, students of maths and science will
pay nearly $5,000 less in fees for a three year
university degree.
Labor will place mathematics and science in Band 1 of HECS
to reduce course fees by $1,600 per annum."
Aim Higher: Learning, training and better jobs
for more Australians, 23 July, 2003 p.14
Labor’s Education Spokesperson Jenny Macklin repeated the promise
at the policy launch:
Jenny Macklin: "What we have announced in that regard is
two things. One is, particularly for maths and science degrees,
we will in fact reduce the cost of those degrees by $1600 a year
because we do want to encourage more and more students into
maths and science."
Macklin / Crean policy announcement, Parliament
House, Canberra, 23 July, 2003
Current HECS bands
|
Band 1 |
$3 680 |
Arts, Humanities, Social Studies/Behavioural Sciences,
Education, Visual/Performing Arts, Nursing, Justice and Legal
Studies |
|
Band 2 |
$5 242 |
Mathematics, Computing, other Health Sciences,
Agriculture/Renewable Resources, Built
Environment/Architecture, Sciences,
Engineering/Processing, Administration, Business and Economics |
|
Band 3 |
$6 136 |
Law, Medicine, Medical Science, Dentistry, Dental Services and
Veterinary Science |
There are a number of other discrepancies between Labor’s costing
of other measures and costing prepared by the Commonwealth
Department of Education, Science and Training.
Media Contact:
Dr Nelson’s Office: Ross Hampton 0419 484 095
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