University students will, at 6:30am this Friday May 12th, protest Federal Treasurer Scott Morrison as he addresses a $150-a-head ‘Post Budget Breakfast’ at the Palladium at Crown (8 Whiteman St, Southbank). This breakfast is hosted by Enterprise Victoria, and will see Morrison ‘present an in-depth analysis of the implications of the budget’, while accompanied by Ministers Kelly O’Dwyer and Mathias Cormann, as well as former treasurer Peter Costello.
“This budget is one that shows the government’s determination to attack students.” said Anneke Demanuele, National Education Officer with the National Union of Students.
“Students are facing a 7.5% increase in fees at the same time as the government is cutting 2.5% of direct funding to universities. Student protests defeated the Abbott government when it tried to deregulate university fees in 2014, and we’re going to do the same thing this time – we won’t stop protesting until these attacks are dead and buried.”
The protest is being organised by the National Union of Students as part of its ‘Make Education Free Again’ campaign. Students will be specifically protesting against the attacks on higher education and university students announced in the 2017 budget, and will call on Scott Morrison and his government to abandon attempts to increase university fees while cutting funding to the sector.
“The Liberals are trying to force students to pay more for our education at the same time as they are letting the deficit levy expire, meaning that ministers like Scott Morrison and the Education Minister, Simon Birmingham are getting $3,864 and $3,267 extra a year, respectively,” continued Demanuele,
“This shows a blatant disregard for the hardship that students face. Our welfare payments don’t even get us to the poverty line and they’re going to enjoy a tax cut. We won’t stand for this state of affairs. We will protest Liberal ministers wherever they go”.
This protest is a prelude to the National Day of Action on May 17th, which will see student protests in all major cities and a number of regional centres.
Sophie Johnston National President | National Union of Students