Consider universities' future, says NTEU

The National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU) believes voters need to consider which party they trust with our universities when they go to the polls on October 9.

NTEU President Dr Carolyn Allport said Prime Minister John Howard was right to claim that this election is about trust.

"The NTEU would urge all voters to think about which political party they trust with the future of our public university system," Dr Allport said.

"Parents need to consider whether they will be able to afford to send their kids to university under another Howard Government.

"Australian students currently pay amongst the highest fees for public universities in the world and the Government's reforms, scheduled to come on stream in 2005, include a 25 per cent increase in HECS fees and an increase in full fee paying places."

"In contrast, Labor has confirmed its intention to roll back HECS increases, abolish full fee places for domestic undergraduate students, and fund 20,000 new university places."

"University staff need to make a decision about which political party has the best policies in terms of reversing declining public funding to our universities and allowing staff to undertake quality teaching and research."

Dr Allport said that since 1996, real Government funding for each student place at our universities has dropped by 13 per cent.

"The Commonwealth now spends more on private schools than it does on our public university system," she said.

"Declining expenditure on research infrastructure and training is failing to nurture the next generation of researchers, a serious issue given that 72 per cent of academics are over 40 years of age."

"Students need access to affordable quality higher education, university staff need more resources and support to do their jobs, and the system as a whole must be adequately funded to face the challenges of the future.

"This election gives voters a chance to decide which of the major political parties is best placed to deliver this," Dr Allport added.

Howard fails on trust and values

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