VSU Senate Committee report confirms Government arrogance

The long awaited release of the Senate Employment, Workplace Relations and Education Committee report into the Provisions of the Higher Education Support Amendment (Abolition of Compulsory Up-front Union Fees) Bill 2005, confirms the sector belief that the Government is not interested in reasonable discussion of the legislation.

"Government members of this Committee have put ideology not only before reasoned argument, but also before the interests of students, their families, the higher education sector and the Australian economy", said CAPA President Stephen Horton.

"It seems impossible that a Committee that has received nearly 200 submissions opposing the legislation, with only the Australian Liberal Students Federation, the Victorian Liberal Students Association, the Liberal-dominated University of New England Students Association and Minister Nelson's own Department supporting the Government's position, could release a report that is so contrary to the evidence before it. Yet the Committee has done precisely that", continued Mr Horton.

"Ignoring the myriad examples of student disadvantage that will ensue from this irresponsible legislation, the authors of the majority report have chosen to claim that the evidence is not persuasive. No reasonable person having considered the evidence could arrive at this conclusion. We must assume that the Committee, in anticipation of the diminished future role of Senate committees, has dispensed with its evaluating responsibility and has determined to endorse Government legislation regardless of logic."

"The dissenting reports of the ALP and Democrat members of the Committee, however, are to be applauded for their insight. CAPA urges all members of the House and Senate to read these dissenting reports prior to further consideration of the proposed legislation."