UNIVERSITY OF NEW ENGLAND CRITICISES SENATE FAILURE TO PASS UNIVERSITY LEGISLATION

Chancellor of the University of New England Dr Richard Torbay MP, and Vice-Chancellor Professor Alan Pettigrew expressed great disappointment at the Senate’s failure to pass vital higher education legislation today.

The comments came as the Senate voted down the Higher Education Legislation Amendment (Student Services and Amenities, and Other Measures) Bill 2009. The legislation, being tied in the Senate, failed to pass.

Coalition Senators joined with crossbench Family First Senator Steve Fielding to block the legislation.

This was a valuable and sensible piece of legislation,” Dr Torbay said.

It wasn’t hearkening back to old debates about political activism and compulsory student unionism. It didn’t allow Universities to force students to join campus bodies. This was about providing many valuable services to students – not just sports, but health care, counselling, career advice, child care and independent advocacy and legal support”.

There was a clear public mandate for this legislation to pass,” Dr Torbay said.

What has happened today is that old prejudices and political point scoring have got in the way of the best outcome for the University sector – and the best outcome for the University of New England.”

Professor Pettigrew added his voice to the chorus of disapproval at the defeat of the legislation.

For regional universities such as UNE, this will have a heavy impact,” Professor Pettigrew said.

This means that we will have to continue diverting funding from teaching and research to provide services to our students. This is a situation that affects all sections of the University and its core business.”

Professor Pettigrew explained that the failure to pass the legislation put increased pressure on regional universities to provide sustainable levels of funding to student services.

Many UNE students are living away from home, and many are from low socio-economic backgrounds. They rely heavily on university-provided services, because there is not the range of potential services available in big cities. We need to support all students through their university experience.”

We won’t compromise their education or their support – but we need support from all sides of politics to keep this sector healthy at a time when our budgets are under great pressure.”

Dr Torbay urged Coalition and all crossbench Senators to get behind the legislation in the future and walk away from the temptation to play politics with the bill.

At a time like this, we don’t need any of our representatives playing a destructive role.”

UNE Council Member and undergraduate student representative Alicia Zikan condemned the Senate vote today, saying:

I issued an invitation to Nationals Senator Barnaby Joyce to come to UNE and see the results of the VSU legislation in person.

He didn’t accept that invitation. And today, with no consultation or engagement with students, the Nationals and their Coalition colleagues have voted down the opportunity to make quality student support services and advocacy available.”

It’s a very disappointing day for university students in Australia.”

 

LIBERAL AND NATIONAL PARTIES FAIL STUDENTS IN PATERSON

Students at Newcastle University will pay the price of the Liberal and National Parties’ decision to vote down the Government’s Higher Education Legislation Amendment (Student Services and Amenities and Other Measures) Bill 2009, according to the Minister for Early Childhood Education, Childcare and Youth, Kate Ellis.

The Coalition has delivered a serious blow to Australian university students,” Ms Ellis said.

The Coalition’s decision to oppose the Bill may cause the decline and even complete closure of critical services at Newcastle University.

Under the current arrangements, close to $170 million has been ripped out of university funding resulting in the decline and in some instances complete closure of vital health, counselling, employment, child care, sporting and fitness services.

The failed passage of this legislation is likely to hit students from the bush the hardest because it will prevent regional universities from providing vital services which not only support students but also local jobs.

Senator Michael Forshaw said that the National Party in particular had betrayed students from rural and regional areas.

The services and amenities at Newcastle University aren’t just used by the students but the whole community,” Senator Forshaw said.

The National Party claims to be the party of the bush but today they have voted against legislation which would have supported vibrant community activity in Paterson.”

Some universities have reported having to redirect funding away from their research and teaching budgets to make up the shortfall of funding for campus services.

Regional universities like Newcastle are already struggling to provide important services to their students – by not supporting this legislation the Nationals have put those remaining services at further risk,” Senator Forshaw said.