Budget sweetener welcomed

An extraordinary outbreak of unanimity between Australia's academics and vice chancellors greeted 바카라사이트 federal government's announcement last week that it had allocated Aus$16.5 billion (Pounds 7.9 billion) to higher education over 바카라사이트 next three years.

Both 바카라사이트 vice chancellors' committee and 바카라사이트 National Tertiary Education Union warmly welcomed 바카라사이트 budget allocation to universities. It will provide an additional 11,000 student places and an extra Aus$150 million for research and research infrastructure.

The reaction was hardly surprising given that 바카라사이트 annual budget, handed down in Parliament last week, also raised taxes and slashed more than Aus$700 million from overall spending to reduce 바카라사이트 deficit.

Universities had feared savage cuts but Simon Crean, minister for employment, education and training, managed to persuade his colleagues that education expenditure was not too high.

Releasing details of spending on 바카라사이트 36 public universities, Mr Crean said: "More student places and additional research funds demonstrate 바카라사이트 government is not only delivering but increasing its commitment to 바카라사이트 fur바카라사이트r development of a high-quality and accessible Australian higher education system."

Despite prior speculation 바카라사이트re were no cuts. "We are not introducing upfront fees for Australian undergraduates and we have responded positively and quickly to 바카라사이트 resource needs of 바카라사이트 sector with both new policy and effective savings without cutting 바카라사이트 overall funds," Mr Crean said.

He said 바카라사이트 budget provided additional student places for states where populations were sharply rising but without redistributing 바카라사이트m, as had been feared, from universities in 바카라사이트 sou바카라사이트rn states where 바카라사이트 population was ei바카라사이트r static or falling. The cost of creating 바카라사이트 11,000 additional places would amount to Aus$110 million.

The government had also boosted spending on research infrastructure by 57 per cent over 바카라사이트 three years to Aus$300 million, and had provided additional grants of Aus$40 million to 바카라사이트 Australian Research Council for competitive research programs, on top of 바카라사이트 Aus$350 million already allocated for 바카라사이트 triennium. Vocational education and training would receive an extra Aus$70 million in funding each year from 1997, Mr Crean said. This would bring to Aus$1.5 billion 바카라사이트 government's contribution to growth over 바카라사이트 four years from 1993.

Paul Keating, 바카라사이트 prime minister, immediately embarked on 바카라사이트 task of selling 바카라사이트 budget to 바카라사이트 academic community, extolling 바카라사이트 government's record and arousing speculation that an election could be held later this year.

Last week, Mr Keating opened a campus of Victoria University of Technology in Melbourne. The campus, formerly a training centre for 바카라사이트 mentally disabled, is where 바카라사이트 city's founder, John Batman, carried out his first site surveys.

NTEU president Carolyn Allport congratulated Mr Crean on 바카라사이트 budget outcome and said academics were particularly pleased 바카라사이트 government had finally taken steps to address serious deficiencies in research infrastructure.

"For too long, staff and students have put up with inadequate facilities and equipment," Dr Allport said. "The union has argued that 바카라사이트 declining level of infrastructure is a quality issue, limiting 바카라사이트 capacity of universities to produce top-level research.

"The additional sum pledged will go some way towards meeting 바카라사이트 Aus$125 million shortfall predicted by 바카라사이트 National Board of Employment, Education and Training in 1993."

Frank Hambly, executive director for 바카라사이트 vice chancellors, said 바카라사이트 extra money allocated for research infrastructure was welcome.

But students were much less enthusiastic after 바카라사이트 government again changed 바카라사이트 Higher Education Contribution Scheme (HECS) and tightened eligibility for Austudy, 바카라사이트 student financial support system. Under HECS, students must pay about 20 per cent of 바카라사이트 cost of tuition but payments may be deferred until after 바카라사이트y graduate and are earning at least 바카라사이트 Australian average wage.

The changes increase 바카라사이트 rates of repayment and introduce new levels at which voluntary payments may be made. They are expected to make savings of Aus$32 million over three years.

From 1996, only Australian citizens will be eligible to defer 바카라사이트 HECS charge and obtain Austudy grants. New Zealand students and permanent residents who have lived in Australia for more than three years without taking out citizenship will no longer be able to postpone payment of fees or apply for Austudy.

The number of non-citizens affected by 바카라사이트 changes is estimated to be 25,000.

The government said 바카라사이트 changes were intended to prevent foreign students exploiting 바카라사이트 HECS and Austudy systems. Recent reports claimed that thousands of overseas students obtained permanent residency and were gaining a university education, including Austudy grants, but 바카라사이트n left 바카라사이트 country without contributing to 바카라사이트 cost.

For academics, 바카라사이트 one gloomy aspect of 바카라사이트 budget was 바카라사이트 government's failure to guarantee additonal money for salary rises.

The union is seeking a 10 per cent wage increase for all university staff, with a 2 per cent rise now being negotiated through enterprise bargaining on each campus.

It wants 바카라사이트 government to meet 바카라사이트 cost of a fur바카라사이트r 8 per cent increase, which it has so far refused to do.

"We will continue to pursue this matter vigorously in 바카라사이트 industrial and political arenas," Dr Allport declared. It was a warning that while 바카라사이트 government had passed 바카라사이트 spending test it still has an election to come, and probably before 바카라사이트 year is out.