Labor launches Indigenous Higher Education Policies
26 October 2001
In the lead up to the election the NTEU made several submissions urging the Labor party to redress the horrific damage inflicted by the Howard/Kemp Indigenous Higher education policies. This morning at the Koorie Heritage Trust in Melbourne, the Shadow Minister for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs, the Hon Bob Mc Mullan, launched the Labor party policy on Indigenous affairs, which contains several initiatives directly related to Indigenous tertiary education.
Responding to the Howard governments attack on ABSTUDY, resulting in a 15.2% decline in commencing Indigenous students, the Labor party will establish,
· Extra University Funding - enhanced University funding for special programs enhancing access for disadvantaged and underrepresented groups that will particularly benefit Indigenous students.
· HECS Exempt Places for Teachers - 1,000 HECS free scholarships per year to attract high achieving school leavers into teaching which will work to redress the 23% decrease in Indigenous students commencing teacher courses which has occurred since 1997.
· Reduced HECS for Online students - 100,000 online university places over the next ten years, with students studying online paying only half the rate of HECS.
In recognising the denial of Indigenous intellectual property rights has long been responsible for the low economic status of the Indigenous community the policy proposes these initiatives.
· Cultural Property - Labor will legislate to recognise moral rights for Indigenous custodians that provide the Indigenous Cultural group whose tradition is drawn upon to create a copyright work with rights of attribution, protection against false attribution and protection of cultural integrity (as outlined in Our Culture: Our Future - Report on Australian Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property rights 1998).
· Indigenous Knowledge - Labor is committed to improving Indigenous participation in tertiary education across all disciplines and levels of study, and will encourage the recognition and valuing of Indigenous knowledge within higher education institutions.
Whilst all these initiatives are sorely needed, there remain many issues not addressed by this policy. The NTEU hopes that the statement, "Further Indigenous education policies will be announced shortly", does in fact mean a commitment to tackle issues such as Professional Development Programs for Indigenous tertiary staff, Indigenous Postgraduate Scholarships and Indigenous specific research programs. To achieve change in these areas requires a consolidation of Indigenous staff at all levels in Australian Universities affording Indigenous people the agency needed to develop relevant and realistic tertiary education programs and outcomes. In comparison to the Liberal Howard version of "practical reconciliation" the Labor Party must be commended on their policy as a major step toward real reconciliation as it opens the door of opportunity to achieving Indigenous social justice.