Coalition Higher Education Policy misleads on OECD comparison
8 November 2001
Close scrutiny of the Coalition’s Higher Education Policy reveals that it contains false claims about Australia’s comparative investment in Tertiary Education.
The Coalition policy claims that “as a share of GDP our investment in tertiary education is higher than the United States [and] Canada …” (p. 16, http://www.liberal.org.au/policy/highered.pdf).
The latest OECD figures, released in June this year, reveal that Australia’s investment is 1.59% of GDP, considerably less than Canada’s 1.85% and the USA’s 2.29% (page 81 of OECD Education at a Glance- 2001 Edition, attached).
“Dr Kemp’s figures are clearly wrong”, Dr Carolyn Allport, NTEU President said. “It is disappointing that debate around an issue as important as our education system can be sullied by this type of misinformation.
“Either Dr Kemp is poorly informed or he is attempting to obscure the debate with rubbery figures. Neither option reflects favourably on his performance as education minister.
“The OECD figures reveal that Australia has the fourth most privatised tertiary education system. Only in Korea, Japan and the US are students and their families forced to carry a heavier burden in funding their tertiary education. (See attached graph)
“The conclusion which should be drawn from the OECD comparison is that Australian students and their families are already carrying an unfair share of funding universities. Polling by Newspoll last weekend revealed that 84% of those who believe university funding should be increased believe that the extra money should come from Government.
“We need a minister who is honest about Australia’s standing and prepared to make the public investment needed to improve our performance.”