Fed: States angry at higher education changes

AAP General News (Australia)
12-05-2003
Fed: States angry at higher education changes

State Education ministers have criticised changes to the higher education system passed
by the Senate today.

They say the changes will disadvantage thousands of students, create generations of
debt, and fail to put one extra student into a university place.

The federal government's Higher Education Support Bill passed through the Senate last night.

It will allow universities to set fees for HECS courses incorporating increases of
up to 25 per cent.

Universities will now be able to include full-fee paying students in up to 35 per cent
of their courses.

The Labor states are angry at the changes.





Queensland Education Minister ANNA BLIGH says the package makes a university education
more expensive than ever.

NSW Education Minister ANDREW REFSHAUGE says university students are going to be desperately
disadvantaged as a result of the changes.

Victoria's LYNNE KOSKY says 23,000 eligible students in her state have missed out on
a university place and will now have to pay for a place.

And Western Australia's Education Minister ALAN CARPENTER says the reforms are taking
Australia back to the days of wealth and privilege as the prerequisite to getting into
university.

AAP RTV dep/sb/rcg/rp

KEYWORD: UNIVERSITIES STATES (CANBERRA)

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