Students Relieved Bradford Not Coming!

Media Release

for immediate release - 15/10/1999

Attn: Political & Education Reporters

Students Relieved Bradford Not Coming!

Despite having never had the opportunity of speaking to a Minister of Education, students at Otago University are breathing a sigh of relief that Minister for Tertiary Education, Max Bradford, has cancelled his scheduled appearance at Otago University next week after his assault on a student at Canterbury. Or perhaps it is just a convenient excuse for Mr Bradford to avoid talking to students. National do not want to talk about education, they know the vast majority of the public do not agree with them.

“Max Bradford had a forum that would have made him the only Minister of Education to talk with Otago students, since user-pays education reforms started ten years ago. Most Ministers have been too scared to present their views on user-pays at this campus, however Mr Bradford was confident enough to do so at a breakfast on Tuesday morning.

“However after suffering from negative publicity following an assault on a Canterbury student, Max Bradford has cancelled his forum at the University of Otago. Bradford felt threatened by the chanting and yelling and somehow feels this justified his assault of a student, the police are taking this further.

“It is a bit of a cheek he pulled out, if it weren’t for the fact he was to be the first Minister of Education here in over ten years, we would have refused to have him here after his behaviour. Typically Otago students have still not had the opportunity to discuss the effects of user-pays education since its introduction ten years ago.

“Bradford had also promised to make an announcement regarding several years of overcharging dental students fees, it is hoped if nothing else this will still be made.

Further Information

Mark Baxter 03-479-5332 (tel) 03-479-5346 (fax)

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