BUDGET 2005: GOVERNMENT MUST DELIVER FOR HIGHER EDUCATION
May 10, 2005
The National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU) is calling on the Government to invest some of the Federal Budget surplus, predicted to be in excess of $10 billion, in providing additional investment in Australia’s struggling public universities and in Research and Development (R&D) activities.
“Over the last ten years this Government has been delivering surplus budgets through cutting expenditure on public services, including significant funding cuts to our public universities,” said Dr Carolyn Allport, NTEU National President.
“Government funding for universities has failed to keep up with wage and other cost increases due to totally inadequate indexation arrangements, with universities now receiving less than half of their total revenue from government sources,” said Dr Allport.
“The contribution students make to the cost of their university education has doubled from 20% to 40% between 1996 and 2004, a figure that will increase even more with a 25% increase in HECS fees from this year.”
“Having a highly educated workforce is essential to Australia’s future prosperity and well being, especially in light of our rapidly aging population and chronic skills shortages, including shortages in professions such as engineering, science and medicine,” said Dr Allport.
“International data also shows that Australia is lagging well behind the rest the OECD in terms of our investment in R&D, with the latest data showing that Australia only invests 1.5% of GDP in R&D compared to an OECD average of 2.3%.”
“R&D activities are at the heart of our social, cultural and economic development, and provide the necessary base for progress and innovation in all forms of knowledge,” said Dr Allport.
“Investing in R&D is crucial for the future provision of quality education in Australia and for Australia’s development as a knowledge economy.”
“If Mr Costello claims his 10th Budget is all about providing opportunity then it is vital he demonstrates this in a highly practical sense and invests in higher eduction and R&D.”
“An investment in higher education and R&D is an investment in Australia’s future, “ said Dr Allport.
FOR INFORMATION AND COMMENT, INCLUDING POST- BUDGET COMMENT CONTACT:
Dr Carolyn Allport, NTEU President: 03 9254 1910
Andrew Nette, NTEU Policy and Research Coordinator: 03 9254 1910
Paul Kniest, NTEU Policy and Research Officer: 03 9254 1910