The Leaders on Education: Beazley gives us vision, Howard manifests blindness

"The Council of Australian Postgraduate Associations celebrates Kim Beazley's recognition of the importance of education to the future prosperity and security of the nation, which he demonstrated in tonight's leaders' debate," CAPA President John Byron said tonight.

"Mr Beazley's emphasis on the crucial importance of public investment in Australia's education system stands in stark contrast to the Prime Minister's indifference," he said.

"When challenged on education, Mr Howard just wanted to talk about taxation," Mr Byron observed.

"We are heartened that Kim Beazley and the Labor Party have responded to Rupert Murdoch's challenge to Australia's political leaders to invest more in education," said CAPA Vice-President Angela Pratt.

"Beazley is right to insist that Australia needs to be a clever and creative nation, and he is right to recognise that investment in a top-class education system is the way to achieve that," Ms Pratt added.

"Mr Howard, on the other hand, refused to engage in any discussion of investment in education beyond the galling statement that the best thing his Government has done for education has been "to introduce the GST'," Mr Byron noted.

"This is a vastly inadequate response to any challenge of his Government's track record on schools, but it completely fails to addressed higher education matters even this speciously," he said.

The funding of higher education is a Commonwealth responsibility, and therefore has nothing to do with the GST at all.

"Sadly, we find this statement by Mr Howard typical of the wanton abandonment of the higher education system that has characterised his 5 years in office," Mr Byron lamented.

"If Howard reckons he has done all he needs to do for education by introducing the GST, it is clear that another Howard government means more of the same: a higher education system which will continue to be strangled by neglect," continued Ms Pratt.

"In contrast to the vision offered by Mr Beazley, the Coalition's demonstrated blindness cannot attain for this country the sort of education system that all Australians - and even the odd former Australian - keep on saying we want and we need," she concluded.