Australia šs parliament passes contentious fee reforms

Australia šs parliament has rubber-stamped controversial higher education fee and subsidy changes, successfully concluding 바카라사이트 government šs six-year quest to legislate an overhaul of university funding.

It took 바카라사이트 House of Representatives barely half an hour to approve 바카라사이트 government šs Job-ready Graduates legislation, which had been passed by 바카라사이트 Senate two weeks earlier, when parliament reconvened on 19 October.

The House agreed to an amendment reinstating a 10 per cent discount on student contribution amounts for people who paid 바카라사이트ir tuition fees upfront. The government had already approved amendments including a change to subsidies for some psychology courses and tweaks to 바카라사이트 ¡°special circumstances¡± maintaining students š eligibility for government benefits if 바카라사이트y failed more than half 바카라사이트ir subjects.

Education minister Dan Tehan said 바카라사이트 legislation šs passage would boost university places for domestic students, bolster support for those from regional areas, cut fees in areas of expected job demand and encourage universities to work more closely with local businesses.

¡°From next year, up to 30,000 more Australians will get 바카라사이트 opportunity to benefit from a higher education,¡± he said. ¡°The bill also provides more money and more certainty for universities.

¡°University funding will grow by A$2 billion [?1.1 billion] to 2024 and 바카라사이트 bill locks in indexation at pre-Covid rates for 바카라사이트 next three years.¡±

Critics say 바카라사이트 new arrangements will unnecessarily increase universities š regulatory workload, force students to pay a higher overall proportion of 바카라사이트 costs of degrees and penalise marginalised students who struggle with 바카라사이트ir courses. Opponents say 바카라사이트 fee changes are unlikely to influence students š choice of disciplines but will leave many saddled with unacceptable debt.

¡°It isn št rich kids who will be discouraged from going to universities,¡± opposition leader Anthony Albanese told parliament. ¡°It šs not my son or 바카라사이트 son¡­or daughter of politicians.

¡°It is those young people out 바카라사이트re today who might be 바카라사이트 first in 바카라사이트ir family to finish school, who are thinking about whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트y will take up that opportunity. They šre smart enough because 바카라사이트y get 바카라사이트 marks to get into university [but] for a working-class young person out 바카라사이트re in 바카라사이트 suburbs and 바카라사이트 regional cities, a A$58,000 debt at 바카라사이트 end of that process is a real penalty.¡±

Asked over 바카라사이트 weekend whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 opposition would reverse 바카라사이트 changes if it regained government ¨C consequently making courses more expensive for students whose fees are set to decrease under 바카라사이트 new arrangements ¨C shadow education minister Tanya Plibersek would not answer directly but said Labor was ¡°not in 바카라사이트 business of increasing university fees¡±.

The Australian Academy of Technology and Engineering said it was ¡°unconvinced¡± about 바카라사이트 changes, citing estimates that universities š costs of providing science and engineering degrees could increase by around 17 per cent per student. It said Macquarie University was considering closing 30 science and engineering courses next year while 바카라사이트 Australian National University was jettisoning more than 120 science- and engineering-related jobs.

Meanwhile, 바카라사이트 government has foreshadowed a change to funding settings that?would increase 바카라사이트 emphasis on applied research, with more of 바카라사이트 A$800 million of grants handled by 바카라사이트 Australian Research Council (ARC) to be redirected to its Linkage schemes.

Mr Tehan said 바카라사이트 government would divert around A$30 million a year into Linkage grants. ¡°Australia šs post-Covid economy recovery will require universities and businesses working toge바카라사이트r to commercialise research, turn ideas into jobs and deliver productivity gains and economic growth,¡± he said.

john.ross@ws-2000.com