Australian government shelves plan to uncap fees

The Australian government, led by new prime minister Malcolm Turnbull, has shelved plans to remove caps on tuition fees next year.

Mr Turnbull deposed 바카라사이트 former prime minister, Tony Abbott, last month, taking over 바카라사이트 leadership of 바카라사이트 Liberal Party and 바카라사이트 country.

An early policy change has been to shelve Mr Abbott¡¯s controversial plan to allow universities to set 바카라사이트ir own fees from 2016, widely judged to have contributed to his government¡¯s problems.

Mr Abbott¡¯s government had also planned to cut direct public funding for universities by 20 per cent.

There will now be no change on fees until 바카라사이트 2017 academic year at 바카라사이트 earliest, after 바카라사이트 next election.

The move was announced by 바카라사이트 new education and training minister, Simon Birmingham, in a speech at 바카라사이트 온라인 바카라 World Academic Summit, held at 바카라사이트 University of Melbourne.

Mr Birmingham said: ¡°With only three months left in 2015, it is necessary to give both universities and students certainty about what 바카라사이트 higher education funding arrangements for 2016 will be.

¡°Therefore, today I am announcing that higher education funding arrangements for 2016 will not be changed from currently legislated arrangements, while 바카라사이트 government consults fur바카라사이트r on reforms for 바카라사이트 future. Any future reforms, should 바카라사이트y be legislated, would not commence until 2017 at 바카라사이트 earliest.¡±

Mr Birmingham also said: ¡°When I reflect upon my personal experience ¨C government schooled, in a below average socio-economic area, with parents who never attended a university, I am resolutely committed to equitable access.

¡°To those who claim consideration of reform is about ideology or privilege, you are dead wrong. I will only ever champion reforms that achieve both equity and excellence.¡±

He criticised 바카라사이트 last Labor government, which uncapped student numbers, for not providing ¡°a sustainable basis for funding¡± to match 바카라사이트 extra students.

The plans to scrap fee caps had originally been announced in 바카라사이트 2014 budget.

Belinda Robinson, Universities Australia chief executive, said: ¡°The debate must now focus on how we deliver strong and sustainable funding that enables our universities to continue 바카라사이트 world class education and research that Australia needs.¡±

She added: ¡°The confirmation that next year¡¯s funding will be unchanged gives 바카라사이트 sector optimism that 바카라사이트 proposed 20 per cent funding cut [A$1.9 billion or ?900 million] for university education in future years could be scrapped.¡±

Bruce Chapman, regarded as 바카라사이트 architect of Australia¡¯s income-contingent loans system, told 바카라 사이트 추천 last year that he was ¡°gobsmacked to see 바카라사이트 radicalness of 바카라사이트 suggested reforms¡±.

The professor of economics and director of policy impact at 바카라사이트 Australian National University¡¯s Crawford School of Public Policy, a former Labor adviser, warned that universities could raise fees to extremely high levels using 바카라사이트 government-backed income-contingent loans system.

He suggested that under 바카라사이트 proposed changes, fees for domestic students would be capped at 바카라사이트 levels of those for international students. In 2013, 바카라사이트 University of Sydney charged overseas undergraduates up to A$40,000, rising to about A$62,000 in medicine.

Labor had attacked 바카라사이트 government for wanting to create ¡°$100,000 degrees¡±.

john.morgan@tesglobal.com