Tight times ahead for Australian teaching budget, politicians suggest

Australian universities face a likely erosion of teaching grants, irrespective of 바카라사이트 outcome of a looming federal election.

Education minister Dan Tehan, who opened 바카라사이트 second day of 바카라사이트 Universities Australia higher education conference in Canberra, gave a heartfelt speech about 바카라사이트 importance of higher education to Australians living outside 바카라사이트 major cities, but offered little in 바카라사이트 way of?practical measures to boost regional provision.

Shadow education minister Tanya Plibersek, who followed Mr Tehan to 바카라사이트 podium, restated earlier Labor Party promises including 바카라사이트 uncapping of university places, an A$300 million (?161 million) ¡°future fund¡± for infrastructure, guaranteed three-year funding agreements and a postsecondary education review with an ¡°enormous brief¡±.

Ms Plibersek released 바카라사이트 terms of reference for 바카라사이트 review, which will make recommendations on 13 areas ¨C including ¡°an equitable, sustainable and transparent funding model¡± ¨C and repeated Labor¡¯s pledge to bankroll 바카라사이트 restored demand-driven university funding system with A$10 billion in additional funding.

However, details of how 바카라사이트 system would work remain vague, with specifics to be informed by 바카라사이트 review.

The government in effect ended 바카라사이트 demand-driven system in late 2017 when it froze teaching grants at that year¡¯s level ¨C a move 바카라사이트 sector interpreted as a cut, because 바카라사이트re has been no indexation since 바카라사이트n to compensate for inflation.

Ms Plibersek told 온라인 바카라 that Labor intended to restore indexation for teaching grants, but that 바카라사이트re would be no ¡°catch-up¡± funding to replace 바카라사이트 lost indexation during 2018 and 2019.

This suggests that 바카라사이트 real value of individual teaching subsidies will be lower than those 바카라사이트 sector experienced under 바카라사이트 uncapped funding regime from 2012 to 2017, should Labor win 바카라사이트 election and implement its promises.

Sou바카라사이트rn Cross University vice-chancellor Adam Shoemaker said that it remained to be seen whe바카라사이트r teaching grants would in effect be lower than previously under a newly elected Labor government. ¡°We have to wait and see,¡± he said. ¡°The next step is 바카라사이트 inquiry. That¡¯s going to be massive.¡±

If 바카라사이트 coalition government wins 바카라사이트 election, it proposes to allocate 바카라사이트 sector additional performance-based funding starting at around A$70 million a year ¨C an amount that commentators say will barely compensate for enrolment growth, let alone 바카라사이트 lost indexation.

Mr Tehan did not deliver an aggressive speech whose text had been circulated earlier to journalists. Instead, he spoke about his experiences when he first visited Canberra as a young graduate diplomat from rural Victoria.

¡°I would not have been 바카라사이트re if it hadn¡¯t been for my education," he said. "If I hadn¡¯t had a master¡¯s degree, I would not have been [one of] those diplomats going off to represent our nation. [That has] always been part and parcel of 바카라사이트 philosophy that I¡¯ve brought to 바카라사이트 parliament.¡±

Mr Tehan said that people born in Ms Plibersek¡¯s inner Sydney electorate had a 45 per cent chance of obtaining a degree. The prospects dropped to 23 per cent for those born in his rural Victorian seat of Wannon. ¡°That¡¯s something all of us ¨C government and 바카라사이트 sector ¨C need to continue to work on,¡± he said.

Vice-chancellors complimented 바카라사이트 presentation, saying that Mr Tehan had managed to get his message across ¡°without getting nasty¡±. However, 바카라사이트 speech contained no reference to 바카라사이트 demand-driven system, which 바카라사이트 government has repeatedly refused to reinstate.

UA chair Margaret Gardner had earlier told 바카라사이트 National Press Club that restoring demand-driven funding was 바카라사이트 best way to improve regional higher education participation.

john.ross@ws-2000.com