The Council of Australian Postgraduate Associations (CAPA) welcomes the defeat of flawed Higher Education and Research Reforms (HERR) bill which was rejected by the Senate yesterday evening for a second time.
“The Senate and the Australian people have sent the Minister for Education and Training a clear message – that the government’s reforms are not the future of higher education in Australia. A user pays system with its focus on private over public benefit has been debunked” said the National President Harry Rolf.
“This is a victory for Australia’s postgraduate students, who would have been impacted by both university fee deregulation and the new fee on research degrees found in the HERR bill.
“If real reform is to be achieved the minister and Australia’s universities cannot continue to dismiss the voice of Australia’s students. Students both postgraduate and undergraduate are major stakeholders – not simply customers who obtain a degree through financial transaction.
“The future of higher education in Australia must be shaped through consultation for the benefit of students, the community and Australian society – not only the budget bottom line. CAPA will continue to fight alongside its allies for a better higher education system.
“Despite the minister’s assurance that he will resurrect the higher education reform package for a third time, current and future students can wake up this morning to what can be a brighter future for Australia’s higher education system” concluded Harry Rolf.
ATTACHED: MEDIA RELEASE Back to the future for higher education reform 18-3-2015
Harry Rolf, National President
Council of Australian Postgraduate Associations (CAPA)
president@capa.edu.au
