On Sunday the 13th of April, Prime Minister Julia Gillard and Minister for Higher Education Dr Craig Emerson announced $2.8 billion funding cuts to universities. This follows the $1 billion slashed from the higher education sector in December 2012.
Universities stand to lose $900 million in the next two years, coming from “efficiency dividends” of 2% in the first year and 1.25% in the second year. The Government would also cut the 10% discount for students who pay their HECS back up front, and add the Student Start-Up Scholarship to a student’s HECS. Monash University alone stands to lose around $48 million.
Dr Emerson said that money saved from these cuts would be redirected to implement the recommendations of the Gonski review into primary and secondary education funding.
In reaction to this, the National Union of Students held a snap action; organising a student meeting and rally, held on Wednesday the 17th of April at RMIT’s city campus. This meeting was attended by several hundred students, including representatives of the MSA and Monash students.
Headline speakers included Jeannie Rae from the National Tertiary Education Union, who spoke about the recommendations of the Bradley Review into Higher Education. The review recommended that an increase of 10% funding per student be applied immediately to all university students. Rae also spoke of the heavy workloads, uncertain contracts, and unpaid overtime worked by staff under the current system. According to Rae, these new funding cuts would only serve to exacerbate the situation.
Greens MP for Melbourne Adam Bandt spoke of his disgust at the Government’s intention to axe funding, and promised not to support these reforms through the House of Representatives. He also mentioned increases to Youth Allowance of $50 per week, stating that “this isn’t about finding efficiencies, this is about fairness”.
Monash Clayton student activist, Sarah Garnham, then listed the “enemies” and “allies” of this student action, before surprising attendees with an announcement that a general student strike would be held on the 14th of May. This was purposely timed to coincide with the delivery of the 2013-2014 Federal Budget, and the proposed NTEU strike action.
Garnham then opened the floor to proposals, which included:
- A student strike and rally on the 14th of May
- That the cuts be fought as a combined tertiary education sector at both State and Federal levels
- That another strike be held before the 14th of May, and that different forms of action such as contacting MPS and lecture bashing be undertaken
- That another meeting be held on the 1st of May to coincide with May Day
All motions were eventually passed supporting both another rally on the 14th of May, and another meeting being held on the 1st of May.
