Students and staff brace themselves
for higher education attacks
by Dora Anthony Last week the Federal Government's Higher Education legislation, based on the Nelson Review, was tabled in Federal Parliament. It entails an overhaul of public education as we know it. If passed it would see deregulation of HECS, allowing universities to lift fees by 30 percent, doubling the number of places for full-fee paying students, more corporate governance of universities, the introduction of "Voluntary Student Unionism" and major setbacks for industrial relations. Effectively it will introduce a user-pays system to compensate for the $5 billion the government has taken out of education since 1996, with no guaranteed improvements. Indeed, one immediate impact would be a cut in university places in NSW by 1300. That would inevitably result in job losses and course cuts. Dr Nelson tabled the legislation just hours after the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development released a critical report, saying Australia had the second worst growth in university enrolment rates between 1995 and 2001. The OECD average increase was four times higher than Australia's. Between 1995 and 2000 Australia's public investment in universities declined by 11 per cent — more than any other country in the OECD. (Sydney Morning Herald, 18 September) The Federal Senate, with the balance of power held by Greens, Democrats and independents, is a major obstacle for the Coalition Government's legislation. The Coalition is intent to implement the legislation with full force. It has made few compromises with the other parties since the initial proposal was made earlier this year. It is likely to add the higher education legislation to a package of other Bills rejected by the Senate and use a double dissolution to get the legislation through. In the meantime, students and staff are organising to place pressure on the government, the Senate Inquiry into Higher Education Funding and complicit university executives. "Richer" universities have supported the legislation' s passage in order to increase their opportunities to capitalise on a two-tier education system. A rally under the banner of "Free Education" was organised for Monday 22 September at the University of Western Sydney — one of the "poorer" universities with a high proportion of students from lower socio-economic backgrounds. It would be detrimentally affected by the legislation and is the only university, so far, to officially oppose the proposed changes. The Senate Inquiry, which began on September 22 will conduct hearings for two weeks. Its hearings will be met with demonstrations across Australia. Senators will be lobbied, to ensure the legislation is not passed. Labor, the Greens and the Democrats have indicated that they will vote against the legislation. There are four independents, Senators Lees, Harradine, Harris and Murphy, who then hold the balance of power to pass or block the Bill. For further information on protests and lobbying, see the website of Greens Senator, Kerry Nettle: http://www.kerrynettle.org.au For information regarding the Senate Inquiry visit: http://www.aph.gov.au/Senate/committee/eet_ctte/uni_finances/index.htm