University staff welcome Hodgson

31 October 2007

University staff welcome Hodgson into tertiary education role

The Association of University Staff (AUS) has welcomed the announcement that Pete Hodgson has been named as the new Minister for Tertiary Education in today’s Cabinet reshuffle. He has also been named as the Minister in the allied fields of Research, Science and Technology and Economic Development.

Mr Hodgson comes to the portfolio with a wealth of Cabinet experience, including most recently being the Minister of Health. Chris Carter has been named as the new Minister of Education.

AUS National President, Professor Nigel Haworth said that Mr Hodgson is an experienced minister with a tremendous opportunity to integrate the work of three related portfolios. “His recent background in Health, in which tripartism plays a growing role, equips him well to play a leading role in the university tripartite process,” he said. “AUS looks forward to working closely with Mr Hodgson as we have done successfully with his predecessors.”

Professor Haworth expressed his appreciation of the role played by the outgoing Minister, Dr Michael Cullen. He said that Dr Cullen had made a dynamic contribution by taking tangible and productive steps to reform the tertiary education sector. This included his active participating in developing a process to address salary and funding problems.

ENDS

© Scoop Media