NTEU WA Division Media Release: New Minister for Tertiary Education
For further information contact: Dr Lyn Bloom, Secretary NTEU WA Division. Gabe Gooding, President NTEU WA Division. 14 September 2010The WA Division of the National Tertiary Education Industry Union (NTEU) today welcomed the appointment of Western Australian Senator the Honourable Chris Evans as the new Minister with responsibility for Tertiary Education. The Union also acknowledged that the importance of education had been recognised by the Australian Government by the specific addition of “tertiary education” to the Minister’s new title.
The Division Secretary Dr. Lyn Bloom said “We thank the Minister for responding to the concerns of the sector regarding the lack of reference to education in his title and look forward to working closely with him in promoting the importance of higher education to the WA community. The five universities in Western Australia are an invaluable resource for the State, providing the benefits of broad education, and expansion of the knowledge base of the community through research and the application of specialist expertise, as well as the provision of work-ready skills to graduates.
Dr Bloom added:
“Our members in universities in WA also contribute to public debate on economic, cultural and social issues through their critical engagement with society, which provides both direct and indirect benefits to the Western Australian economy.
We are confident that the Minister will appreciate the conditions that are specific to the WA universities and will provide support to them in achieving their individual missions within the WA community.
The NTEU in WA looks forward to working closely with the new Minister in his new role.”
Branch Contacts
Branch Office
Faculty of Arts and Business
University of The Sunshine Coast
Phone: 07 5459 4603
usc@nteu.org.au
http://www.nteu.org.au/usc
Donna Weeks
Branch President
dweeks@usc.edu.au
