Uni fees rise while Howard is napping
23 January 2001
We have a very good University system; it’s better than most countries. We should stop knocking the way we do things in this country. It’s more expensive to get a university education in the United States than what it is in Australia …
John Howard, Today Show, 22 January 2001
In an attempt to deflect attention from the affects increasing reliance on private income on university quality, the Prime Minister has turned his attention to a comparison of the costs university study in Australia and the United States. Unfortunately his attempt to take comfort in the apparent affordability of Australian higher education was misplaced, as Australian students have edged ahead of their US counterparts.
The US Chronicle of Higher Education reported in September last year that average tuition costs were $US3,356 in 1999-2000 in a four year public institution- the single largest sector in the US and clearly the most comparable with the Australian university system. In terms of purchasing power parities (PPPs) this converts to $A4,396. (In contrast, average tuition fees at four year private institutions were $US15,380 or $A20,148.)
Meanwhile HECS fees in Australia were $3,463, $4,932 and $5,772. With around 62% of students paying the two highest rates, the average HECS fee for 2000 was $4,404.
\"John Howard is not even aware of the effects of his own Government’s policies on the affordability of a university education\", Grahame McCulloch, NTEU General Secretary said. \"Five years ago, when his Government was elected, he would have been on safe ground in claiming that tuition fees in the US were considerably higher. However, by raising HECS fees by up to 125% in his first six months as Prime Minister, John Howard has ensured that higher education in Australia is as unaffordable as it is in the US.
\"Perhaps Mr Howard was attempting to highlight the $20,000 per annum fees charged by private universities in the US. This too is not far away from becoming a reality in Australia thanks to his government’s introduction of up front fees for Australian undergraduates with fees for courses such as Dentistry already more than $22,000 p/a. He should take heed of his own warning and halt the slide towards a deregulated system in which high prestige universities are able to charge these exorbitant fees. If, on the other hand, Mr Howard wants to compare like with like, he should try to keep up with the outcomes of his government’s policies, rather than relying on the memories of better times.\"