DEMOCRATS POLICY: AN INVESTMENT IN OUR UNIS IS AN INVESTMENT IN OUR FUTURE
24 September 2004
The National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU) today welcomed the Australian Democrats’ commitment to provide adequate funding to Australia’s public universities, rather than further transferring the costs to students and their families.
“The Australian Democrats Higher Education policy launched today, shows a real vision for the future of Australian universities and their students,” said Dr Carolyn Allport, NTEU National President.
“The policy focuses on alleviating the growing burden placed on students and their families through providing a 3% per annum increase in public funding, in addition to realistic indexation.”
“Through their record in the Senate, the Democrats have proven themselves a strong supporter of public universities.”
“The policy released today provides a timely reminder to the major parties that providing affordable and accessible access to quality higher education is an investment in Australia’s economic and social future.”
“Under the Howard Government, HECS fees have doubled since 1996 while Government funding to our universities has declined. The Commonwealth now spends more on private schools than it does on our university system, seriously threatening the quality of education that our public universities deliver.”
“If the Howard Government is re-elected the situation will get worse. From 2005, universities can put their HECS fees up by 25% and it will be easier for students to buy a full fee place at a cost of up to $100,000 or more, with marks less than the cut off score for a HECS place,” said Dr Allport.
“The Democrats’ policy abolishes all HECS and all full fee undergraduate places for domestic students, as well as providing increased student income support payments and more flexible conditions for students to access these services”.
“The NTEU strongly believes that university places should be provided on the basis of merit and not money,” said Dr Allport.
For Further Information and Comment Contact
Andrew Nette, NTEU Policy and Research Coordinator: 0438 026 277
Paul Kniest, NTEU Policy and Research Officer: 0418 170 622