Federal Budget: where is the `Bonanza for education?’
10 May 1999
Dr Carolyn Allport, National President of the National Tertiary Education Union, has questioned the basis for the Prime Minister’s statements that the Federal Budget would focus on `the education future of this country’.
`I hope this means that the Government is going to re-invest some of the $800m it’s taken out of higher education since 1996, and reduce the costs of university to students and their families,’ said Dr Allport.
`In its pre-election document, the Coalition acknowledged the need for more people to have access to tertiary education, in the face of globalisation and changing labour markets. Therefore, it’s vital that tertiary education be adequately funded.’
`So far, however, there’s no indication that the Government is going to put any money into higher education, apart from the money for research infrastructure promised during the 1998 Federal Election Campaign,’ she said. `Instead, we are hearing about cuts to equity programs, and to the Committee for University Teaching and Staff Development. The urgent need for some form of salary supplementation has been ignored. How will stripping higher education of even more money provide investment in future education?’
`By foreshadowing the virtues of an `education budget’, John Howard has invited close scrutiny of his Government’s policies for funding schools, TAFE and universities. I hope that the Budget announced by Treasurer Costello tomorrow night delivers on the Prime Minister’s promises.’