… against the Liberal Government’s $2.2 billion university funding cut
The protests are part of a National Day of Action called by the National Union of Students. The National Day of Action will be demanding an end to all funding cuts, no lowering of the HECS repayment threshold, and free education.
‘Students are being thrown in the gutter by the Liberal Government,’ said NUS Education Officer Con Karavias. ‘Without access to Commonwealth-supported grants, thousands of students will be unable to attend university. And with funding cut, those who do attend will face a lower quality of education, with fewer teaching staff and fewer courses on offer. The hypocrisy behind the cuts is staggering. The Liberals cry poor to justify ripping billions from education, but are happy to plough billions more into coal mines, corporate tax cuts and arms manufacturers.’
For many students the Government’s prioritisation of military spending over education has been particularly galling, and ‘Books not Bombs’ will be a slogan of the protests.
‘For the Liberals, machines of death trump places of learning,’ said Karavias. ‘As students we don’t just care about the cost of our education, but about the future of the society we inhabit. We’re raising our voices for a world where knowledge and understanding matter more than bombs and tanks.’
Mark Pace National President | National Union of Students
