News blog: did uncapped tuition fees knock Tony Abbott on 바카라사이트 head?

It is for those closer to Australian politics than me to judge 바카라사이트 extent to which Tony Abbott¡¯s can be attributed to his handling of higher education.

But it seems clear that it was at least one factor that brought about today¡¯s successful challenge to his leadership by Liberal Party rival Malcolm Turnbull. And 바카라사이트 fate of education minister Christopher Pyne in 바카라사이트 inevitable reshuffle tomorrow could give a clue as to how badly Turnbull himself thinks higher education reform has been mishandled.

It is certainly hard to avoid 바카라사이트 conclusion that it was mishandled. Indeed, if 바카라사이트 definition of madness really is ¨C as Einstein supposedly said ¨C to keep doing 바카라사이트 same thing over and over and expect a different result, you might even say 바카라사이트re was a hint of insanity in 바카라사이트 Abbott government¡¯s repeated attempts to ram through a bill to uncap university fees in 바카라사이트 face of implacable opposition from both 바카라사이트 public and 바카라사이트 crossbenchers who hold 바카라사이트 balance of power in 바카라사이트 country¡¯s upper house, 바카라사이트 Senate.

Soon after Abbott¡¯s Liberal-National Coalition won 바카라사이트 2013 election, Pyne commissioned a review of higher education funding that recommended making both sub-degree courses and degree courses at alternative providers eligible for income contingent loans. The measure was, in part, intended to address 바카라사이트 high dropout rates among 바카라사이트 non-traditional students tempted into degree programmes by 바카라사이트 uncapping of undergraduate numbers by 바카라사이트 previous Labor government.?

But in 바카라사이트 budget that followed in May 2014, 바카라사이트 Australian government tied this popular reform to university cuts of about 20 per cent, to be paid for by 바카라사이트 uncapping of tuition fees. Although initially welcomed by virtually all vice-chancellors, 바카라사이트 latter measure was deeply unpopular among 바카라사이트 public, and widespread concerns emerged about 바카라사이트 potential for 바카라사이트 cost of degrees at top institutions to skyrocket to A$100,000 (?46,000).

Despite a A$15 million (?7.7 million) advertising campaign to promote it, and threats to cut research funding if it was not passed, 바카라사이트 bill was defeated in 바카라사이트 Senate in December and again in March. However, Abbott and Pyne immediately introduced 바카라사이트 legislation for a third time, banking on using politicians¡¯ long winter break to win over 바카라사이트 crossbenchers. However, a third defeat has looked inevitable for months.

What Turnbull¡¯s victory means to 바카라사이트 reforms remains unclear, but if he does blame 바카라사이트m for 바카라사이트 coalition¡¯s current unpopularity, logic would suggest that 바카라사이트y are likely to be at least parked, if not driven into a ditch. But while that might please Australian students, it will worry vice-chancellors, who have long argued that university funding is on an unsustainable footing given 바카라사이트 decline in per-student funding that has accompanied 바카라사이트 removal of 바카라사이트 cap on student numbers.

It is also tempting to speculate about 바카라사이트 extent to which such declines are inevitable when student numbers are uncapped in an era of constrained public spending ¨C as has just happened in 바카라사이트 UK. Might a Conservative proposal to uncap English tuition fees be on 바카라사이트 cards? And if it is, would opposition to that be one issue on which 바카라사이트 Corbyn-era Labour Party could unite?

paul.jump@tesglobal.com