NTEU COUNCIL 2004 AND THE FEDERAL ELECTION – INFORMATION FOR THE MEDIA
September 30 2004
The progress of the National Tertiary Education Union’s (NTEU) campaign in the lead-up to the October 9 Federal election will be one of the key issues discussed at the Union’s 11th annual National Council, which opens in Melbourne today.
The Council will take place from September 30 to October 2 and over two hundred representatives from staff at Australia’s 38 public universities will meet in Melbourne.
The NTEU is campaigning in selected Coalition marginal seats and on campuses nationally in the lead-up to October 9 to highlight the impact of the Howard Government’s changes for universities, particularly the increasing cost of a degree.
“The quality, affordability and accessibility of our public universities are all at stake in this Federal election,” said Dr Carolyn Allport, NTEU President.
“Focus groups conducted by the NTEU and other organisations show deep concern, especially amongst parents, about the rising cost of higher education and mounting levels of student debt.”
“HECS fees have already doubled since 1996 and if the Howard Government is re-elected the situation will get worse.”
“At the same time Government funding to our universities has declined in real terms by 13 per cent per subsidised student place.”
“The Commonwealth currently spends more on private schools than it does on our university system and this is now threatening the future quality of education that public universities and their staff will be able to deliver,” said Dr Allport.
The Council, which sets the political and industrial agenda for the Union over the next 12 months, will overview the current national enterprise bargaining round for higher education.
The Union’s Federal election campaign will be the focus of a session of the Council on Thursday September 30, at 4pm.
Dr Carolyn Allport and Pat Byrne, Federal President of the Australian Education Union, will address the session.
The Council is open to the media.
The Council will take place at the Carlton Crest Hotel, 65 Queens Road Melbourne.
Information and Comment:
Andrew Nette, NTEU Policy and Research Coordinator: 0438 026277