Joint Press Release

JOINT STATEMENT

KEVIN RUDD MP
FEDERAL LABOR LEADER

STEPHEN SMITH MP
SHADOW MINISTER FOR EDUCATION AND TRAINING

HOWARD LOCKS ONE IN THREE VICTORIANS
OUT OF A TERTIARY EDUCATION

When first round university offers are released today, nearly 20,000 or one in three young Victorians will miss out on a university place.

These young Australians will be denied a chance to get ahead because for the last 10 years the Howard Government has refused to invest in Australia's tertiary education.

Critically, in areas of acute skill shortage such as teaching and nursing, approximately one in two applicants, or 2,500 students, will miss out on a university place.

Despite a chronic shortage of engineers in Australia, more than 400 students or nearly 15 per cent of engineering applicants missed out on an engineering place.

In first round offers in Queensland last week more than 5,000 young Queenslanders missed out on a university place. Around 17,000 young Victorian’s missed out on a university place in 2006 and 19,000 in 2005.

By not investing enough in higher education, the Howard Government is stopping talented young Australian’s getting ahead.

Hard working young Australians are also being discouraged from going to university by the Howard Government's massive HECS fee hikes.

This is bad for thousands of hopeful students and their families, and worse for the growth potential of the Australian economy, which is crying out for more skilled workers.

If Australia is to compete in the 21st century global economy we need the best trained workforce in the world.
You cannot be serious about locking in Australia’s economic prosperity if you are not prepared to make the required investments in education Australia needs.

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Absolutely appalling- just about to write a press release to that effect. When will the Government realise that they HAVE to invest in Higher Education??????

In Solidarity,

Rhi