Gough Whitlam’s vision of free university education was affordable when only about 5 per cent of the population was going to higher education. But with the proportion now close to 40 per cent, changes being put to Parliament by Education Minister Christopher Pyne are essential to maintain a high-quality university system open to all Australians.…
I rise very proudly tonight to speak to the Higher Education and Research Reform Amendment Bill 2014. I also rise to speak as the chair of the Senate Education and Employment Legislation Committee. We conducted a very comprehensive inquiry into this piece of legislation. There were over 169 submissions and four days of hearings, and…
BY Katina Curtis The Abbott government has been told by one of its own senators to tweak higher education reforms to make sure a university education is still accessible for as many people as possible. Nationals senator Bridget McKenzie chairs a parliamentary committee that wants the government to give regional universities more help and change…
The Chair of the Senate Education and Employment Legislation Committee, Senator Bridget McKenzie, has presented to parliament a report supporting the Coalition Government’s proposed higher education reforms. The committee’s report is the result of extensive consultation and hearings involving a wide range of mostly higher education stakeholders including students. It focuses on the impact on…