the nelson betrayal - state of play 2004

Well it has come to pass that university has become less affordable and accessible. On the last day of sitting the Senate passed the governments reforms with some minor concessions made to sweeten the deal. But at the end of the day what does it mean?

Below is a summary of the changes made by the Seante:

Universities will be able to charge up to 125% of current HECS rates Universities will keep HECS revenue above government set charges Income contingent HECS-HELP loan for HECS students to defer payments	Domestic up-front full fee paying students are capped at 35% for undergraduate courses Universities have no effective cap on the number of international full fee paying student enrolments FEE-HELP loan for undergrad students will repay 120% of the total loan amount
Learning entitlements to subsidised places will be for 7 years There is no replenishment of learning entitlements Universities may offer AWAs instead of having to offer AWA	Subsidised student places will increase by at least 1775 EFTSU over the period 2002 to 2008. This is a growth of 0.47% Voluntary student unionism did not reach the Senate The government will only make contributions to courses it decides to subsidise. Operating grants to cover teaching services will cease.
Funding for universities can include particular restrictions on the types of courses offered	There was no increase in government student benefits The government has ended the student supplement loan scheme

Its not hard to see that universal access to affordable higher education will erode away. The new year has seen an growing resentment of the higher education reforms with the minister, Nelson telling Australian students that you can buy your way into university. These reforms have no way of diminishing the growing numbers of students missing out on university places - even though there is a shortage of teachers, nurses, doctors, engineers and professionals.

The government has given itself the power to decide which courses will be taught by which university - they are meddling with what can and cannot be taught at university. Future generations of Australian students will have a life-time debt.

Universities are definitely in crisis now! Australia's university students are in crisis! Australia's future is being betrayed