More pain for Australian research in brutal MYEFO cuts
The Council of Australian Postgraduate Associations (CAPA) condemns the Federal Government’s decision to slash research funding as confirmed in the 2018/19 Mid-Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook (MYEFO) released this morning.
This MYEFO gives more evidence of what this government has already demonstrated: that it does not value research or consider postgraduate education and the benefits it brings to Australia to be a priority. Proceeding with the short-sighted decision to decrease research payments by $328.5 million over four years is setting Australian research up for failure.
We are dismayed that some of this funding has been redirected into vote-buying, with $92.5 million pledged to increasing enrolments at universities in marginal seats – the very same universities who will be struggling to fund research thanks to these cuts.
The decision to slash research funding has come from a government which is openly hostile to universities. This funding cut must be considered in context of the Government’s other cuts to higher education over the past year, including the university funding freeze and lowering the student loan repayment threshold.
“These decisions have been made by a struggling Coalition desperate to buy votes ahead of the looming election – risking long-term consequences to the Australian economy as our research output lags behind,” says CAPA National President, Natasha Abrahams.
“This government has shown they will cut at university funding until there is nothing left.”
CAPA furthermore calls on the Labor party to commit to reversing the funding cuts and dedicate more resources to research, should they form government in next year’s election.
END
For comment:
CAPA National President Natasha Abrahams
M: 0430 076 993
E: president@capa.edu.au
