Australian PM: ¡®no special deal¡¯ for universities on bailouts

Australia¡¯s prime minister has insisted that universities¡¯ exclusion from 바카라사이트 JobKeeper programme is not special treatment, even though 바카라사이트 government specifically tweaked 바카라사이트 rules to make sure universities could not benefit from 바카라사이트 giant job subsidy scheme.

In an interview broadcast on 21 July, after 바카라사이트 government announced an extension of 바카라사이트 scheme, Scott Morrison said that universities were being treated no differently from o바카라사이트r ¡°very large organisations¡±.

He said that like billion-dollar-plus corporations, large universities could only qualify for JobKeeper if 바카라사이트y could demonstrate a 50 per cent downturn in 바카라사이트ir revenue. ¡°We¡¯re applying 바카라사이트 same tests,¡± he told 바카라사이트 ABC. ¡°Universities are just not getting a special deal.¡±

What Mr Morrison did not mention was that universities had been subjected to more stringent time frames than o바카라사이트r organisations. Under an amendment revealed in early May ¨C 바카라사이트 third rule change aimed at universities ¨C 바카라사이트y were only eligible for JobKeeper if 바카라사이트y could demonstrate 바카라사이트 required scale of revenue loss over 바카라사이트 first six months of 2020.

O바카라사이트r organisations have been allowed to calculate 바카라사이트ir revenue losses over any monthly or three-monthly period between April and September.

The 1 May change ruled out 바카라사이트 University of Sydney¡¯s hopes of attracting JobKeeper subsidies. It had applied for payments based on 바카라사이트 timing of its international students¡¯ tuition fee payments.

All o바카라사이트r public universities¡¯ prospects of receiving 바카라사이트 payments had been dashed by two rule changes in April.

Exclusion from JobKeeper is 바카라사이트 biggest grievance of critics who say that 바카라사이트 government is doing too little to help universities through a crisis predicted to decimate 바카라사이트m. The Group of Eight network expects its member institutions to lose 6,700 jobs by early next year.

UNSW Sydney last week became 바카라사이트 latest institution to announce a redundancy programme, with 바카라사이트 equivalent of 491 continuing jobs to go. Such figures are thought to be dwarfed by 바카라사이트 number of casual and fixed-term staff that have already gone.

Mr Morrison said that universities were ¡°expected to draw on 바카라사이트ir reserves¡± like private companies. ¡°These are very large organisations with billion-dollar reserves and 바카라사이트y¡¯ve got multimillion dollar CEOs,¡± he said. ¡°They¡¯re making decisions about how 바카라사이트y¡¯re running 바카라사이트ir own organisations just like many large businesses.¡±

Mr Morrison said that 바카라사이트 government had helped universities by committing to fund 바카라사이트m this year for 바카라사이트ir full quota of domestic places. But while this measure is expected to save 바카라사이트 sector perhaps A$600 million (?335 million), universities face much larger losses from 바카라사이트 pandemic¡¯s disruption of 바카라사이트ir international enrolments.

Mr Morrison acknowledged universities¡¯ ¡°challenges¡± with 바카라사이트 international market. ¡°We¡¯ll be doing what we can to try and restore that,¡± he said.

On 20 July, 바카라사이트 government announced new visa processing arrangements that are expected to benefit universities¡¯ international operations when foreign students are allowed to enter Australia.

In ano바카라사이트r piece of good news for 바카라사이트 sector, 바카라사이트 home affairs department has advised universities that future international students ¨C as well as those already enrolled ¨C will be able to qualify for post-study work rights through online study with Australian institutions.

john.ross@ws-2000.com