Minister Obfuscates Research Issues

Responding to comments by Minister Kemp, CAPA President, Bradley Smith, said "The Minister's claim that universities have a "choice" as to how they manage the elimination of 3,500 research 'gap' places is nonsense".

"The Minister now claims that the government's position is to convert these places to ensure access for undergraduates, thereby contradicting his assertions about choice".

The Minister draws attention to the damage that the new funding regime will have on regional universities. He cites the White Paper's regional package as the instrument to ameliorate the damage.

Mr Smith said "The regional package does not apply to 'gap' places. The White Paper is quite explicit in stating that this fund applies to institutions' starting position beginning in 2001. That is, it applies AFTER institutions have lost their 'gap places'."

The Minister now asserts that a high proportion of research students in the gap places never complete. Mr Smith said "There is absolutely no evidence that this assertion is correct. We challenge the Minister to produce evidence for this bizarre claim."

"While the Minister has come clean in acknowledging that universities don't really have a choice, his sudden interest in equity for undergraduate education is disingenuous to say the least".

"If this government was really interested in equity for undergraduates then it would not have scrapped the merit equity scholarship program nor emasculated funding to universities."

Mr Smith said "The Minister ignores the core issues. Australia needs to boost its R&D capability yet universities are being forced to give up 3,500 places filled by research students. They have no realistic choice. This imposition will emasculate the research efforts of well over half of Australia's universities."

Mr Smith called on the Minister to release all relevant modelling and data so that the public and sector are fully appraised of the consequences of the implementation of the proposed changes in research funding.