"The suggestion by the Tertiary Education Advisory Committee in its third report that a desirability formula for tertiary courses be established is a sound idea," says New Zealand First's Education Spokesperson, Brian Donnelly.

"At present tax-payers are funding all sorts of weird courses and would be horrified at the nature of some of them. The fundamental outlook of the last government was 'anything goes and the market will determine'.

"That has become a nonsense. Government has a responsibility to use taxpayers money wisely and in the best interests of the nation. Should we be funding courses in astrology and the sexual practices of ancient Egyptians when learning in critical areas of science and technology are being under-resourced.

"Rational and planned use of the education dollar is critical for the future well-being of the nation," concluded Mr Donnelly.

ENDS

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Gordon Campbell: On the Sony cyber attack

Given the layers of meta-irony involved, the saga of the Sony cyber attack seemed at the outset more like a snarky European art film than a popcorn entry at the multiplex.

Yet now with (a) President Barack Obama weighing in on the side of artistic freedom and calling for the US to make a ‘proportionate response’quickly followed by (b) North Korea’s entire Internet service going down, and with both these events being followed by (c) Sony deciding to backtrack and release The Interview film that had made it a target for the dastardly North Koreans in the first place, then ay caramba…the whole world will now be watching how this affair pans out. More>>