The Australian GREENS

MEDIA RELEASE

PETER CAMPBELL, CANDIDATE FOR KOOYONG

Wednesday 22 September 2004

Education funding is important for Swinburne University in Kooyong

Peter Campbell, the Australian Greens Candidate for Kooyong stated today “Only The Greens are prepared to stand up for a publicly funded, free universal public education system."

“The voters of Kooyong are looking for commitment to public education, a commitment to the future of Australia, and the future of their area.

“The Greens will abolish HECS and invest in research to keep our University’s strong and independent. A strong public education system is absolutely vital to the future of our country. We also call for all student debt to be dropped” Mr Campbell said.

“The HECS system is a failure, it creates a barrier to university study and it makes people begin their working lives chained to paying off tens of thousands of dollars in debt. The Howard Government allowing an increase in HECS charges by a whopping 25% is making universities the playgrounds of the rich.

“Any increase in fees will further lock Swinburne students out of tertiary education and increase the record $10 billion HECS debt burden, and students opposed to that prospect have my complete support” Mr Campbell said.

“By supporting HECs, the ALP also lacks the intestinal fortitude to move away from its user pays philosophy to the detriment of students and the higher education sector.

“The Greens reject the Howard government's so-called reforms because they are nothing more than a massive cost-shifting exercise from government to the individual hurting students, and offering nothing in terms of improved education outcomes

“The Howard government has recently squandered $14.7 billion in income tax handouts to people earning above the average wage. There is an overwhelming need for spending ahead of tax cuts - on education, health, social services and the environment.

“The Greens policy calls for a $2.5 billion per annum investment in higher education as part of a $4 billion dollar per annum increase to the federal education budget.

“These spending commitments form part of a holistic commitment to a world-beating public education system funded by an increase from both state and federal governments to 8% of GDP.

-ENDS-

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For more information, please contact:

Peter Campbell, Greens candidate for Kooyong, Telephone: 0409 417 504

Simon Lansdown, Media Officer, Telephone: 0415 535 564