“Degrees should cost students zero dollars,” Greens spokesperson for Education, Senator Mehreen Faruqi, said this morning in response to the “government’s pathetic uni fee hikes”.
“Arts graduate Minister Tehan’s jobs rhetoric is empty. He’s part of a Government that would rather throw a tantrum at humanities students and slam them with higher fees than do the hard work of creating jobs across the economy.
“The government’s juvenile Murdoch-driven loathing of students and the humanities is on clear display today. Education isn’t just about getting you a job – it’s a public good and it’s certainly not about punishing students who wish to study humanities and the law.
“This is the government recognising the abject failure of their 2018 funding freeze and crawling back with their tail between their legs and another disastrous approach to uni funding.
“We need free TAFE and uni for all students to meet rising demand during the recession and ensure access to education for all throughout their lives. Anything short of that won’t do.
“Our unis are in crisis with rolling cuts to jobs and courses around the country. Without a substantial funding increase thousands more jobs will go and education quality will suffer,” she said.
