Universities Australia’s media release hit in-boxes last night before the Treasurer finished speaking – the peak lobby was firstest with the latest.
CEO Luke Sheehy called the Budget, “a missed opportunity to build on the government’s good, recent investments in the Universities Accord.”He went on to set out what needs to be in the next Budget for universities – more money and lots of it – because there is nothing in this one.
The education announcement cited $2.5bn over 11 years for “more” Commonwealth Supported Places and “extra support for disadvantaged students.” Plus it mentioned the 100,000 places a year for Fee Free TAFE (it does not mention that for now, those places depend on the Senate).
But there was no reference to research and no mention of an end to Job Ready Graduates. As for innovation; the Microcredentials website goes at the end of the year.
“This budget is a missed opportunity to build on the government’s good, recent investments in the Universities Accord,” Mr Sheehy said.
“Our student funding system needs urgent attention – it’s time for the Job-ready Graduates Package to go.”
IRU Executive Director Paul Harris welcomed the investments in schools, but joined in the condemnation of continuing the Job-Ready Graduates (JRG) policy – saying it was “the education elephant in the room that must be addressed.”
“The primary driver of student debt is the cost of doing a degree and these costs are still rising for Australian students,” Mr Harris said.
There is some money for science, but just to keep the system ticking over; $55m for CSIRO over four years, “to maintain research capability” and to fund gene technology, ‘to address the impact of invasive species.” Plus there is $47m for to cover partners not kicking-in for the Square Kilometre Array. But that appears to be it in Ed Husic’s patch.
Maybe Labor has announcements to make in the campaign. Or maybe not.
