Election Year Budget must invest in higher education
13 March 2001
The National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU) Federal Budget Submission for 2001 has called for substantial investment in higher education to improve access and quality. Key recommendations include:
· Reducing HECS fees to 1996 levels ($2,644 p/a) and removing the three tiered differential structure
· Increasing the repayment threshold at which HECS must be repaid to average male earnings
· Increasing per student funding by 20% to ensure that all students, regardless of their ability to pay fees, receive a high quality learning experience
· Restoration of funding for staff development
· Increasing the number of HECS liable postgraduate coursework places by 25,000 in order to reverse the massive increase in the number of students forced to pay up-front fees
· Increasing indigenous support funding and ABSTUDY payments in order to increase indigenous participation to the same level as rest of the population
· Establishing a Regional Development Fund to address educational disadvantage in the regions and support local industry
· Bringing forward increases in ARC funding so that 80% is paid by 2004
“Already this year higher education has become important political terrain for both major parties”, Dr Carolyn Allport, NTEU National President said. “This recognition is a good start, but there is still a long way to go to rectify the fundamental resource problems facing our universities.
“This submission will be used as a yardstick by which to measure the performance of all political parties in the election. The true test will be whether they are willing to increase government investment per student. This is a threshold requirement if we are to ensure that the quality of Australia’s higher education system is to maintain its reputation.
“The damage done to higher education by the Government cannot be undone easily. As a result action is required now, we cannot wait any longer to begin reinvesting.”