Unis face tough changes: Nelson (Four Corners) (2 Viewers)

[Generator]

This may be of interest to some.

Unis face tough changes: Nelson
By Natasha Wallace and AAP
June 27, 2005


The federal Education Minister, Brendan Nelson, says Australian universities are facing further changes, and that they will not be popular.

Dr Nelson told the ABC's Four Corners program, to air tonight, that the Federal Government was poised to make more unpopular changes to the tertiary system.

"We have more reform to come," he said. "It's not the sort of reform that's going to make me or the Government popular, but I can assure you it has to be done."

He did not give details of the changes but said they would mean an increase in the already tough competition between universities for funding.

The program also says debate over the reliance of Australian universities on overseas, fee-paying students and the effect on quality is the talk of Asian recruiting grounds.

Professor Allan Luke, of the National Institute of Education in Singapore, compares the bad press to the days of Pauline Hanson.

"Just as Hansonism wound up all over the pages of The Straits Times and the Hong Kong papers and so forth, cutbacks and struggles over higher education do make the Asian press," Professor Luke said.
AdvertisementAdvertisement

The program follows a Herald investigation that found evidence of quality falling at universities to cater to international students with poor English seeking degrees so as to be accepted for migration.

Source: http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/unis-face-tough-changes-nelson/2005/06/26/1119724531156.html

4 Corners - Program Summary

I have to work later tonight (oh, fun times are here), but luckily I can catch the repeat on ABC2 later this week, so please excuse my absence from this thread till then (so much for trying to be inactive). I'm assuming that even though nothing new as such will be presented, there will be issues that are open to discussion (e.g. the fact that further, as yet unannounced, reforms are to take place).

 

[White Rabbit]

can't we just call Nelson bastard and be done with it? Because for me at least, it sums it all up

 

[MoonlightSonata]

"We have more reform to come," he said. "It's not the sort of reform that's going to make me or the Government popular, but I can assure you it has to be done."

That sounds disconcertingly ominous...

 

[absolution*]

If only "further reform" meant kicking out the Asians... *sigh*

 

[shady_03]

oh great, more competition for funding...

I dont really see how its fair, wen Sydney uni has about $100 million in assets, but UWS only has like $4 million.........

Oh but no, LETS GIVE MORE MONEY 2 SYDNEY

 

[absolution*]

oh great, more competition for funding...

I dont really see how its fair, wen Sydney uni has about $100 million in assets, but UWS only has like $4 million.........

Oh but no, LETS GIVE MORE MONEY 2 SYDNEY

thats because only retards from shanty towns go to UWS. they already are a scurge upon the welfare system, they dont deserve more funding.

 

[LadyBec]

oh great, more competition for funding...

I dont really see how its fair, wen Sydney uni has about $100 million in assets, but UWS only has like $4 million.........

Oh but no, LETS GIVE MORE MONEY 2 SYDNEY

I assure you that UWS has WAY more in assets then most regional uni's, like mine so stop your bitching

 

[White Rabbit]

thats because only retards from shanty towns go to UWS. they already are a scurge upon the welfare system, they dont deserve more funding.

And we definatly need to widen the income inequality gap between eastern and western Sydney.

 

[stamos]

this lacks, thank god unsw is going to bludgeon money out of students in singapore with it's new campus

 

[White Rabbit]

I assure you that UWS has WAY more in assets then most regional uni's, like mine so stop your bitching

Thats true!I'd imagine UWS would have more than CSU, SCU or UNE

 

[shady_03]

thats because only retards from shanty towns go to UWS. they already are a scurge upon the welfare system, they dont deserve more funding.

U fukin stupid dick ... its a common fact that ppl like u think that they are better than others based on unis, get ur fukin head outta ur ass.

I really hope u end up with a HUGE hecs debt that takes ages 2 pay off, so much that u have 2 live in a "shanty town" just 2 make ends meet.

 

[withoutaface]

U fukin stupid dick ... its a common fact that ppl like u think that they are better than others based on unis, get ur fukin head outta ur ass.

I really hope u end up with a HUGE hecs debt that takes ages 2 pay off, so much that u have 2 live in a "shanty town" just 2 make ends meet.

You're a retard.

No, seriously, you are.

HECS only kicks in after 30K or so, and after that it doesn't take 100% of your income, so he'll hardly need to live somewhere cheap to make ends meet.

 

[White Rabbit]

If you're living on <30K a year, you'd hardly be living in luxury. $550 a week isn't much to live off. It wouldn't be a shanty town (you'd be hard pressed to find any localty in Sydney that is a real shanty town) but he would be living within Western Sydney, among those horrible welfare leeches.

 

[AsyLum]

Hush kids and play nice.

On topic: Hmm, yes that is somewhat disconcerting

 

[shady_03]

Hush kids and play nice.

On topic: Hmm, yes that is somewhat disconcerting

nice input!

 

[withoutaface]

If you're living on <30K a year, you'd hardly be living in luxury. $550 a week isn't much to live off. It wouldn't be a shanty town (you'd be hard pressed to find any localty in Sydney that is a real shanty town) but he would be living within Western Sydney, among those horrible welfare leeches.

Yes but if you're that low it's going to be your income, not the HECS debt, which is precluding you from living somewhere more affluent.

 

[Enlightened_One]

Nelson is a bastard!

I've nothing against students from overseas coming here as long as the places they take weren't going to be taken by local students. The way Nelson is pushing things more unis are going to have offer full fee places at the expense of HECS places so they don't go bust.
I've almost the idea that Nelson and his cohorts are trying to widen the gap between the rich and the poor, so to speak, and turn Australia into a classed society where those who cannot afford uni do not go to uni, whatever their marks. This also solves the problem of labour shortages, since everyone not from a wealthy background goes to TAFE or ends up a labourer.

And judging by the attitude of some people on this thread, they are right behind the idea of keeping those from 'shanty towns' in their place so they get in a poverty trap and mean while those in unis are only the spawn of parents who hold a degree.

Maybe I'm reading in too deep though.....and I hope I am, otherwise I'm bloody worried.

 

[Sarah]

For anyone who's interested there's going to be an online forum with guest pannellists at 9:30.

www.abc.net.au/4corners

Click on the forum section

 

[philly17]

yet I like how we dont have to pay union fees. so he isnt a dick..

 

[mr_shittles]

Brendan Nelson is supposed to be one of the brightest men in Parliament. Imagine if he's this bloody incompetent and ideologically motivated, how bad the other politicians are. Un-bloody-beleivable!!!

His cuts to higher educations won't help Australia prosper in the longer term.
Some of Australia's top institutions (such as the Group of 8) are no longer ranked in the Top 100. This is the work of a man who really lacks vision and has no idea of the meaning of the term "clever country."