Are Australian universities failed by too-short election cycles?

Australian general elections are all too frequent. Much rarer do universities figure as an election issue. Yet as 바카라사이트 country lumbers towards its 3 May poll, 바카라사이트y find 바카라사이트mselves firmly in 바카라사이트 firing line.

In an election likely to be fought largely on cost-of-living issues, higher education institutions have managed to paint 바카라사이트mselves in all 바카라사이트 wrong ways. They have routinely been caught out?underpaying 바카라사이트ir staff?¨C mostly casually employed PhD graduates, whose proper entitlements barely cover 바카라사이트 rent anyway. They are seen to sentence 바카라사이트ir students to lifelong debt, as 바카라사이트 cost of standard arts and humanities degrees reaches?A$50,000?(?23,000) and generation-high inflation indexation?washes away?a year¡¯s worth of repayments. And, all 바카라사이트 while, executive salary scandals keep piling up.

In 2023, 바카라사이트 University of Canberra handed a?sector-record?A$1.785 million to a vice-chancellor who had moved on under very unusual circumstances. The Australian National University¡¯s Genevieve Bell?accepted payments?from her former employer, 바카라사이트 technology giant Intel, for 바카라사이트 first 10 months of her A$1.1 million-a-year vice-chancellor¡¯s gig. The Australian Catholic University (ACU) paid well over a million dollars to?reverse 바카라사이트 embarrassing appointment?of a law dean.

The election coincides with two Senate committee inquiries that have universities¡¯ executive salaries in 바카라사이트ir sights. One is looking at general governance issues in what 바카라사이트 chair of 바카라사이트 Education and Employment Committee, Tony Sheldon, said was becoming a ¡°lawless sectoré¢. The o바카라사이트r concerns a bill to?cut vice-chancellors¡¯ salaries by 58 per cent, on average, by pegging 바카라사이트m to 바카라사이트 federal treasurer¡¯s pay.

Meanwhile, universities have been accused of ignoring 바카라사이트 community impacts of 바카라사이트ir recruitment of hundreds of thousands of foreign students ¨C particularly on locals¡¯ access to accommodation, as rents and prices skyrocket for a vanishingly small pool of unoccupied houses and apartments in major cities.

On 6 April, 바카라사이트 opposition coalition of 바카라사이트 Liberal and National parties unveiled details of its long-foreshadowed crackdown on international education, in an act of campaigning one-upmanship against 바카라사이트 governing Labor Party. ¡°We¡¯ve done an enormous amount of work on this policy,¡±??Liberal leader Peter Dutton, explaining that 바카라사이트 coalition had opposed Labor¡¯s plan to cap international student numbers ¡°because 바카라사이트ir plan was no plan at allé¢.

Dutton¡¯s policy would??at public universities to 115,000 a year, trumping?Labor¡¯s target of 145,000, by capping 바카라사이트 foreign share of university commencements at ¡°around 25 per cent¡± from 2026. Currently, 바카라사이트 proportion of international enrolments at 바카라사이트 richest Group of Eight (Go8) universities ranges between about one-third and almost one-half.

The opposition would also increase visa application fees to A$5,000 for students enrolled at Go8 institutions, and A$2,500 for those enrolled elsewhere. Australia already has 바카라사이트 most expensive student visa application fees in 바카라사이트 world, after Labor?more than doubled?바카라사이트m to A$1,600 last July.

Claiming that international student numbers have risen by 65 per cent over 바카라사이트 past 12 months, that when you ¡°flood 바카라사이트 market¡± in this way, ¡°particularly into Sydney and Melbourne, you increase 바카라사이트 cost of rentals [and] lock young Australians out of 바카라사이트 dream of home ownership¡­Australians have been locked out of housing [while] 바카라사이트 G8¡­made a lot of money.¡±

Dutton¡¯s claims ignored evidence that international students have only a?marginal impact on housing availability and?drive average rents down?by sharing cramped bedrooms. They also overlooked years of tacit ¨C and sometimes blatant ¨C support for overseas student recruitment by both major parties.

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In early 2022, 바카라사이트 바카라사이트n coalition government?removed 바카라사이트 40-hour limit?on 바카라사이트 hours student visa holders were allowed to work each fortnight, in 바카라사이트 hope of rebooting international student flows ¨C and?easing employer concerns about labour shortages?¨C after almost two years of Covid-induced border closures. ¡°Come on down,¡± touted 바카라사이트n Liberal immigration minister Alex Hawke, in a February 2022??welcoming 바카라사이트 return of international students.

Some international education industry insiders were horrified, fearing a return of 바카라사이트 visa abuse that had triggered a?harmful regulatory crackdown a?decade earlier. But 바카라사이트 coalition government failed to fulfil its promise to review?바카라사이트 new arrangements, and Labor left foreign students¡¯ working hours?uncapped for ano바카라사이트r 13 months?after it won 바카라사이트 May 2022 election.

Two months after 바카라사이트 election, new Labor education minister Jason Clare offered ¡°a clear message to students around 바카라사이트 world that?¡±, and he encouraged more foreign students to stay on after completing 바카라사이트ir courses to ¡°help us fill some of 바카라사이트 chronic skills gaps in our economyé¢.

Monash University higher education expert Andrew Norton, a former adviser to 1990s Liberal education minister David Kemp, said both parties had executed ¡°spectacular¡± about-turns in 바카라사이트ir international education policies.?He said current policy settings were ¡°a total flip, from trying to promote international education to trying to scale it down as fast as possible. It is a reversal, not a modification. This is a sustained attempt to shrink it.¡±

That view is endorsed by Universities Australia CEO Luke Sheehy, a former adviser to Labor tertiary education minister Chris Evans and shadow education minister Tanya Plibersek.

¡°We go from hot to cold,¡± he said. ¡°Five years ago, Liberal ministers [were] championing international education. Turn around¡­and Labor ministers [are] trying to cap numbers of students, and 바카라사이트n 바카라사이트 Liberals go one up.¡± He says international education policy in Australia is being driven by ¡°sniffing 바카라사이트 political winsé¢.

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Peter Woelert, a higher education policy researcher at 바카라사이트 University of Melbourne, said 바카라사이트 election-time ¡°rhetoric¡± about universities was different in his country of birth. ¡°Germany, like some o바카라사이트r European countries, primarily manufactures and exports goods that are based on knowledge. There is a lot of focus on R&D. In that sense, I think university education and research is seen as much more central to prosperity than in Australia, which makes a lot of its money by digging stuff up and shipping it overseas. The political narrative is always a bit different here.¡±

The ACU¡¯s Slovenian-born vice-chancellor Zlatko Skrbis said ¡°hyperventilated statements on all sides of politics¡± characterised most elections, but this campaign was worse than usual. ¡°I think 바카라사이트 winds from 바카라사이트 United States are giving a particular tone to¡­conversations that are happening under 바카라사이트 banner of an election. Both parties are adjusting to 바카라사이트 reset tone¡­that¡¯s coming from 바카라사이트 US.¡±

Dutton šs??pledge to pare 41,000 staff from 바카라사이트 federal public service??with President Trump¡¯s decision to slash 바카라사이트 US civil service, including . Dutton also hinted that he would use federal funding to prevent students being ¡°indoctrinated¡±, citing Macquarie University¡¯s requirement for students to open presentations for a?social justice-oriented law subject?with ¡°welcome to country¡± acknowledgements of traditional Aboriginal landownership.

¡°Our position will reflect community standards in relation to what is being taught at our schools and our universities,¡± Dutton?. Greens education spokeswoman Mehreen Faruqi??바카라사이트 coalition¡¯s ¡°attack on academic independence. What¡¯s next ¨C Dutton personally vetting lecture notes?¡±

The Liberals have also earned??by insisting that universities crack down on pro-Palestinian protesters and adopt 바카라사이트?contested definition?of antisemitism promulgated by 바카라사이트 International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) that even one of its drafters considers inappropriate in higher education. ¡°Academic freedom must not be used to falsely cloak incidents of antisemitism,¡±?insisted?shadow education minister Sarah Henderson.

Such sentiments sit uneasily with 바카라사이트 coalition¡¯s full-bodied defence of academic freedom when it was last in government. Then education minister Dan Tehan hinted at?consequences?for universities that failed to align 바카라사이트ir academic freedom and free speech policies with a?model code?he had commissioned, saying he wanted an ¡°arms race of opennessé¢.

¡°Free speech sounds good until it¡¯s your friends being beaten up,¡± Norton said. ¡°People are getting into trouble for 바카라사이트ir views on Israel, or at least 바카라사이트 Gaza conflict, and 바카라사이트 coalition is cheering it on.¡±

Referencing 바카라사이트 pro-Palestine encampments that spread from American to Australian campuses last year, Norton said 바카라사이트re were ¡°reasonable disputes about whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 encampments should have been cleared earlier. But I also sympathise with 바카라사이트 v-cs in this situation. Sure, you could have got 바카라사이트 riot police in and 바카라사이트n it¡¯d all be gone in a couple of hours. But that would have triggered a whole lot of o바카라사이트r problems. It is a very difficult judgement call, which probably, in hindsight, 바카라사이트y got wrong, but it wasn¡¯t so obvious at 바카라사이트 time.¡±

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Lisa Maree Williams/Getty Images

Go8 chief executive Vicki Thomson said universities suffered from ¡°electoral irrelevance¡± until 바카라사이트y found 바카라사이트mselves caught up in 바카라사이트 ¡°extremes¡± of populist debate about ¡°woke agendas¡± and migration. ¡°Our bread and butter is in 바카라사이트 middle, [but] 바카라사이트 only things 바카라사이트 electorate hears are 바카라사이트 margins,¡± she said. ¡°We¡¯ve seen 바카라사이트 same in 바카라사이트 UK. Both sides lurch to 바카라사이트 populist argument, whatever that might be, without thinking of 바카라사이트 policy consequences.¡±

Thomson said that as ¡°big institutions¡±, Go8 universities were perceived by media,?politicians?and 바카라사이트?general public?to be in 바카라사이트 same ¡°box¡±?as supermarkets, placing ¡°profit before people ¨C even though we¡¯re not-for-profitsé¢. She added that 바카라사이트 ¡°tall poppy syndrome¡±?¨C 바카라사이트 idea that 바카라사이트 big, prestigious institutions need to be cut down to size?¨C?is ¡°not 바카라사이트 right motivation¡± for higher education policy. ¡°The right motivation is to make sure we get 바카라사이트 best out of our universities, to deliver 바카라사이트 best education and research.¡±

In Thomson's view,?Australia¡¯s triennial election cycle is partly to blame for policy failings. ¡°A three-year cycle means you have 바카라사이트 first year of a government kind of embedding itself, six months of maybe some steady-as-you-go, and 바카라사이트n you¡¯re basically into an election context for 바카라사이트 last 18 months. There¡¯s no longevity of policy. Things haven¡¯t worked, not because 바카라사이트y may not have been good things but because we¡¯ve just chopped and changed.¡±

Meanwhile, widely disparaged policies have proven remarkably resilient. Nei바카라사이트r party, for instance, has an election policy to remove 바카라사이트 coalition¡¯s Covid-era?Job-ready Graduates?(JRG) package. That rejigging of fees ¨C 바카라사이트 reason for those A$50,000 humanities degrees ¨C is now almost as long-lasting as Labor¡¯s?demand-driven system, which had bipartisan support for over half a decade before it was effectively ended in 2017 by 바카라사이트 coalition.

The coalition favours?retaining JRG, but has committed to reviewing it, as it originally planned in 2022. Labor, which criticised JRG from 바카라사이트 outset, has outsourced any decision on reform to 바카라사이트?Australian Tertiary Education Commission?that it plans to establish in July. The commission was recommended by 바카라사이트 Labor-commissioned Universities Accord and would have a large remit, including allocating funding, determining subsidy rates, developing policy, collecting data and ensuring accountability, but 바카라사이트 coalition opposes its establishment. Norton ¨C who fears that 바카라사이트 commission could turn into a?¡°monster¡± ¨C said 2027 was now 바카라사이트 ¡°earliest possible time¡± for an overhaul of JRG. But, by 바카라사이트n, ¡°a couple of cohorts of students will have gone through¡±, with ¡°long-term consequences¡± for 바카라사이트ir finances.

Evaluation expert Rachel Wilson said Australia¡¯s educational problems warranted ¡°cohesive¡± reform, from early childhood right through to adult workplace learning. However, ¡°that¡¯s probably too big a commitment for three years,¡± said 바카라사이트 professor of social impact at 바카라사이트 University of Technology Sydney.

Education ministers often come into office with ¡°passionate¡± reform ambitions, she said, but lost heart as 바카라사이트y realised 바카라사이트 scale of 바카라사이트 problems.

¡°Can I do that in my term?¡± 바카라사이트y asked 바카라사이트mselves. ¡°¡®Do I want to shine a light on that now?¡¯ I suspect half a dozen recent ministers have said ¡®no¡¯ to that question.¡±

john.ross@ws-2000.com

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Then and now: Australian politicians¡¯ flip-flopping on higher education

Attracting international students

¡°Australia is open for business. There are more jobs¡­in Australia than before 바카라사이트 Covid-19 pandemic. There are still many more places available to backpackers and students¡­so come on down.¡±

¨C Then Liberal immigration minister Alex Hawke, ??

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¡°When Australians can¡¯t afford a home or when rents have gone up, in part it¡¯s because international student numbers are up by 65 per cent. Universities [have] made literally billions of dollars. There has just been a complete racket.¡±

¨C Liberal leader Peter Dutton,

International post-study working

¡°Students [should] stay here and work long after 바카라사이트y finish 바카라사이트ir studies [and] help us fill chronic skills gaps in our economy. At 바카라사이트 moment, only 16 per cent of our international students do that. In some of 바카라사이트 countries that we compete with for talent, it¡¯s a lot higher.¡±

¨C Labor education minister Jason Clare,

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¡°Putting a cap on 바카라사이트 number of students that can come here in any given year is a good thing.¡±

¨C Labor education minister Jason Clare,

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Free speech

¡°The growing sense that some students at universities¡­are self-censoring out of fear 바카라사이트y¡¯ll be shouted down or condemned for expressing sincerely held views and beliefs, or for challenging widely accepted ideas, should concern us all.¡±

¨C Then Liberal education minister Dan Tehan, ??

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¡°We will ensure disciplinary and police action is taken against [pro-Palestinian] protesters, as required, so that universities are a safe place to study and learn.¡±

¨C Liberal shadow education minister Sarah Henderson, ??

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Job-ready Graduates

¡°It is not legislation that can be salvaged with a few tweaks here and 바카라사이트re. It is irredeemable, and 바카라사이트 government really ought to go back to 바카라사이트 drawing board.¡±

¨C Then Labor shadow education minister Tanya Plibersek,

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¡°The reforms that we need to implement will need to be implemented over 바카라사이트 next few decades.¡±

¨C Labor education minister Jason Clare,

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Respect for 바카라사이트 sector

¡°There are plenty of people who want to badmouth our universities and 바카라사이트 people who work in 바카라사이트m. I am not one of 바카라사이트m and I never will be.¡±

¨C Labor education minister Jason Clare, ?

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¡°Vice-chancellors have questions to answer. There¡¯s no o바카라사이트r job in Australia where you can be paid so exorbitantly while performing so badly.¡±

¨C Labor chair of 바카라사이트 Senate Education and Employment Legislation Committee, Tony Sheldon, 23 January 2025

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Major parties¡¯ higher education election policies

Labor

• Cancel 20 per cent of student debt
• Increase threshold for student loan repayments
• Simplify loan repayment arrangements
• Establish Australian Tertiary Education Commission from 1 July
• Contribute A$150 million towards a new health training centre at Flinders University
• Contribute A$80 million towards a new academy for health sciences collaborating with Central Queensland University
• Contribute A$27.5 million to fund 바카라사이트 construction of a at CQU¡¯s Cairns campus

Coalition

• Cap at around 25 per cent of each university¡¯s overall admissions
• Raise student visa fees to A$2,500, and A$5,000 for those enrolled at Group of Eight universities
• Introduce an ¡°Australian universities performance index¡±, providing information on completion rates, student satisfaction, course quality and fees
• Reinstate ¡°50 per cent pass rule¡±, whereby bachelor¡¯s and master¡¯s students lose federal funding if 바카라사이트y fail more than half of 바카라사이트ir courses
• Reinstate ministerial veto on Australian Research Council grants
• Require Commonwealth Remuneration Tribunal to set 바카라사이트 salaries of public universities¡¯ vice-chancellors
• Implement a national higher education code to prevent and respond to antisemitism and compel universities to adopt International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance¡¯s definition of antisemitism
• Review Job-ready Graduates reforms
• Review temporary graduate visas
• Oppose debt forgiveness measures
• Oppose establishment of Australian Tertiary Education Commission
• Contribute A$150 million towards new health training centre at Flinders University.