NATIONAL STUDENT RALLY TODAY
Rallies will be held today in major cities across Australia with angry students calling on the government to abandon it’s plans for partial deregulation and get serious about funding higher education in Australia.
“We are seeing Simon Birmingham, the Minister for education, pushing for partial deregulation when it has no support by students, no support from universities and no support from the general public.” Said Sinead Colee, NUS President.
“Aside from a fringe group of ideologues, almost all of Vice Chancellors have now slammed the governments plans to partially deregulate universities.
“When will this government abandoned its attacks on students? The governments bill, in various forms, has been struck down 3 times already”
The government’s plans include creating a set of flagship courses that universities can charge extra for. This will create a two tiered system with the big GO8s offering special courses only for those who can afford them.
“Students are calling on the government to listen to our three key demands. Scrap the plan for any form of deregulation of fees, stop the cuts to staff, courses and TAFE and increase the funding to higher education” Said Colee.
Australia currently spends 0.7% of GDP investing in tertiary education, compared with the OECD average of 1.1% of GDP. Australia is ranked 33rd out of 34 OECD countries for public investment in tertiary education.
RALLY LOCATIONS:
Sydney; Fisher Library, University of Sydney – 1pm
Melbourne; State Library of Victoria – 2pm
Brisbane; Campbell Place, University of Queenland 2pm
Perth; Julie Bishops Office, Cr Rokeby Rd and Heytesbury Rd, Subiaco
Adelaide; Rundle Mall – 3pm
Hobart; Lazenbys Central Mall, Univeristy of Tasmania – 1pm
Sinead Colee, NUS President
