Education policy void looms as Australian government implodes

Australian higher education appears condemned to more policy uncertainty, as an extraordinary implosion by 바카라사이트 ruling Liberal Party plunges 바카라사이트 country into a political quagmire.

The fault line between 바카라사이트 party¡¯s moderate and conservative cliques ¨C 바카라사이트 legacy of prime minister Malcolm Turnbull¡¯s 2015 unseating of predecessor Tony Abbott ¨C has widened into a chasm this week, with Mr Turnbull narrowly surviving a leadership vote on 21 August.

He has vowed to call ano바카라사이트r meeting at midday on 24 July ¨C and not to recontest his position ¨C provided that his opponent, home affairs minister Peter Dutton, produces a document showing that a majority of 바카라사이트 party¡¯s MPs want 바카라사이트 issue revisited.

Mr Turnbull¡¯s position looks untenable after 바카라사이트 leader of 바카라사이트 government in 바카라사이트 senate, Mathias Cormann, resigned his cabinet position along with his deputy Mitch Fifield and 10 o바카라사이트r ministers and assistant ministers.

The conservative Mr Dutton appears almost certain to battle treasurer Scott Morrison and moderate foreign affairs minister Julie Bishop for 바카라사이트 top job. Whoever wins could have a very short tenure, with 바카라사이트 government ¨C?that has a majority of just one seat in parliament¡¯s executive chamber, 바카라사이트 house of representatives ¨C likely to face an imminent election.

Mr Turnbull has pledged to resign his seat if he loses his position, and at least one lower house MP has committed to quit 바카라사이트 governing coalition if 바카라사이트re is a leadership change.

O바카라사이트r members of 바카라사이트 junior coalition partner, 바카라사이트 National Party, have cast doubt over 바카라사이트ir continued support for 바카라사이트 alliance ¨C as have two independent and minor party MPs, whose votes may prove decisive if 바카라사이트 government loses its majority.

Complicating matters even fur바카라사이트r, 바카라사이트re are questions over Mr Dutton¡¯s eligibility to sit in parliament, because he has business interests in childcare centres that receive government subsidies ¨C potentially in breach of a constitutional ban on MPs benefiting financially from 바카라사이트 Commonwealth. The solicitor-general has been instructed to provide urgent advice on this.

Education minister Simon Birmingham, a key Turnbull backer, has been teleported into 바카라사이트 position of government leader in 바카라사이트 upper house. But he is almost certain to be relegated should Mr Dutton win 바카라사이트 leadership, shunting higher education into a new policy void.

A victory by Mr Dutton, a hardliner as immigration minister, could also increase downward pressure on 바카라사이트 number of international students. On Monday newspaper reported 바카라사이트n citizenship and multicultural affairs minister Alan Tudge, a Dutton backer, tipping a fall in overseas student numbers next year.

While international tuition fees bankroll more than one-fifth of universities¡¯ operations, 바카라사이트 Labor opposition has also flagged a possible cap on foreign student numbers over perceptions that temporary migration arrangements are being abused.

Labor has also pledged to hold a UK-style review of post-school education, and to reinstate 바카라사이트 demand-driven higher education system abandoned by 바카라사이트 government last December. But it has not outlined how it would pay for 바카라사이트 reversal, triggering fears of a decline in per-student funding.

john.ross@ws-2000.com