Tertiary Education Union
16 May 2013

Opportunity not austerity

Long term under-funding of tertiary education since 2009 is taking away opportunities to learn from students and future students, say TEU national secretary Sharn Riggs, upon hearing news that the tertiary education budget will stagnate more than $400 million below than 2009 funding levels.
As one example of these cuts, despite estimating that student numbers will remain relatively steady, the government plans to cut student allowances by nearly a fifth over the next five years. It is cutting $400 million out of student allowances payments over the next five years.

“This government is stripping money away from students, both directly through their loans, allowances, and higher fees, and indirectly by attacking the quality of their education,” says Sharn Riggs.

"Instead it is subsidising $29 million to private education companies to help them make a profit rather than investing in local communities' public education institutions."

“This is yet another in a series of nasty budgets, which chooses austerity over opportunity.”

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