Transport Concessions

On 23 April 2008 the Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research, Senator the Hon Kim Carr, asked the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Industry, Science and Innovation to undertake an inquiry into research training and research workforce issues in Australian universities.
The Committee invited interested persons and organisations to make submissions addressing the terms of reference by Friday 30 May 2008.

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Following the successful anti-discrimination case brought against the NSW government Department of Transport and State Rail, the Administrative Decisions Tribunal found in favour of international students who had been discriminated against under NSW law and denied concession travel on public transport. CAPA endorses and supports the NOT FARE campaign in Victoria to secure concession travel for both domestic and international students and calls on NSW and Victoria to adhere to the ADT's decision.

The NSW Administrative Decisions Tribunal (ADT) has found that the NSW Government has been discriminating against international students since 1989. In an action brought by the Sydney University Postgraduate Representative Association (SUPRA) against the NSW Minister for Transport, the Director General of the Department of Transport, the State Rail Authority, and the State Transit Authority, the ADT has found that the respondents, in denying international students access to concession transport, have violated the State's Anti-discrimination laws.

Students coming from overseas to study in Australia have borne much of the brunt of the continuing decline in the funding and quality of Australian higher education. CAPA calls on the major parties to make a commitment to extend the same benefits to international students as local students enjoy. These include free public health care, free public education for their dependants, and more liberal work allowances under student visas.

The Council of Australian Postgraduate Associations' President, Mr McKay, and the International Students Officer, Ms Tufvesson, are in agreement that the mounting dissatisfaction amongst international students will lead to a reduction in their numbers in Australia in the future.

It is particularly the factors of student travel concessions, exorbitant compulsory public education fees for dependents, enforced private primary health cover and employment restrictions, which cause the most discontent.

The ALP remains defiant in its refusal to extend student transport concessions to postgraduate and international students in Victoria.

Victoria is the only state or territory in Australia that does not give concession cards to both full-time local postgraduate students and international students.

"If Victoria is serious about competing to attract students to Victorian universities, the Bracks Government needs to realise that cost of living is a significant factor in the decision of many students about where to study," argued CAPA President, Leisa Ridges.