Stop Interfering in Universities, says NTEU
April 15, 2005
The National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU) today condemned the latest announcement by Federal Education Minister Nelson of plans for a new round of interference in the affairs of Australian universities.
Reports in the media today of a speech by the Minister to the Sydney Institute last night indicate that the Government intends to re-introduce legislation requiring universities to offer all staff Australian Workplace Agreements, and to link funding to a range of other detailed prescriptions about staff conditions and bargaining.
In 2003, the government introduced legislation, which was amended in the Senate in the face of opposition from Vice-Chancellors, staff and students. That legislation set the basis for funding up to 2007.
“The Government should stop interfering in universities. They are not Government agencies, they are supposed to be autonomous institutions with an academic mission, not a mission to carry out the ideological obsessions of government,” said Ted Murphy, NTEU National Assistant Secretary.
“The Minister gave no indication prior to the election that it was planning to revisit the basis of university grants for the current funding period. Universities should have been able to rely on their current funding being secure.”
“The NTEU calls upon the Vice-Chancellors to resist this latest attack on university autonomy.”
“The Union will not be deterred from continuing to represent its members,” Mr Murphy concluded.
For further information and comment:
Ted Murphy, National Assistant Secretary, Ph: (03) 9254 1910
Carolyn Allport, National President, Ph: (03) 9254 1910