This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/may/21/fees-deregulation-universities-ask-abbott-government-to-delay-start-date

The article has changed 2 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Fees deregulation: universities ask Abbott government to delay start date Fees deregulation: universities ask Abbott government to delay start date
(35 minutes later)
Universities have called on the Abbott government to delay the start date for the deregulation of course fees, warning of "grave risks" from undue haste.Universities have called on the Abbott government to delay the start date for the deregulation of course fees, warning of "grave risks" from undue haste.
And the Labor opposition has accused Tony Abbott of misunderstanding the government's higher education overhaul, after the prime minister claimed that students who started their courses next year would not face changes to their conditions of study.And the Labor opposition has accused Tony Abbott of misunderstanding the government's higher education overhaul, after the prime minister claimed that students who started their courses next year would not face changes to their conditions of study.
The budget revealed that the government would remove caps on student fees charged by higher education providers "from 1 January 2016 for students who accept an offer to commence a course from 14 May 2014".The budget revealed that the government would remove caps on student fees charged by higher education providers "from 1 January 2016 for students who accept an offer to commence a course from 14 May 2014".
Students who had commenced or deferred commencement of their course before budget day would continue to have their student contributions capped until 2020.Students who had commenced or deferred commencement of their course before budget day would continue to have their student contributions capped until 2020.
The chairwoman of Universities Australia, Professor Sandra Harding, said this meant students enrolling from last week could be subject to fee increases from January 2016, part way through their courses.The chairwoman of Universities Australia, Professor Sandra Harding, said this meant students enrolling from last week could be subject to fee increases from January 2016, part way through their courses.
She said universities were being forced to urgently determine their fees "or leave Australian students who are considering commencing study in mid-2014 in the dark about what they’ll be up for come January 2016".She said universities were being forced to urgently determine their fees "or leave Australian students who are considering commencing study in mid-2014 in the dark about what they’ll be up for come January 2016".
"There are grave risks here. Universities are being asked to set fees in an unprecedented market environment," Harding wrote in an opinion piece."There are grave risks here. Universities are being asked to set fees in an unprecedented market environment," Harding wrote in an opinion piece.
"Not being able to inform students of the fee implications of their programs is almost certain to give pause to students who might otherwise enter university mid-2014, particularly mature age students whom we know from the UK experience are sensitive to fee changes.""Not being able to inform students of the fee implications of their programs is almost certain to give pause to students who might otherwise enter university mid-2014, particularly mature age students whom we know from the UK experience are sensitive to fee changes."
The vice-chancellor of University of Technology Sydney, Ross Milbourne, echoed concerns about the timing, saying it would be "very tough" to implement the new system by 2016.
“We need to tell [students] that the first year will be under the current arrangements but then future years will be under different arrangements with much different pricing arrangements, and to be fair to incoming students we need to have that all sorted out by the end of this year. Until we get all the details that's virtually impossible,” Milbourne told the ABC.
Harding, who is also vice-chancellor of James Cook University, was not calling for the 2016 date to be changed, but to delay the measure to protect existing students.Harding, who is also vice-chancellor of James Cook University, was not calling for the 2016 date to be changed, but to delay the measure to protect existing students.
She proposed that students who had started courses by early or mid-2015 should be able to continue to pay fees under the existing system.She proposed that students who had started courses by early or mid-2015 should be able to continue to pay fees under the existing system.
Her comments coincided with Wednesday's "national day of action" organised by the National Union of Students to protest against the changes.Her comments coincided with Wednesday's "national day of action" organised by the National Union of Students to protest against the changes.
Abbott, who cancelled a planned visit to Victoria’s Deakin University citing security fears over protests, downplayed the implementation issues.Abbott, who cancelled a planned visit to Victoria’s Deakin University citing security fears over protests, downplayed the implementation issues.
The prime minister told the ABC the government's changes would "be from the beginning of 2016 because we appreciate that a lot of planning has already been done for 2015".The prime minister told the ABC the government's changes would "be from the beginning of 2016 because we appreciate that a lot of planning has already been done for 2015".
The interviewer, Jon Faine, pressed Abbott on the fact that students would soon be enrolling in university under one system and would then face higher fees in future years of the same course.The interviewer, Jon Faine, pressed Abbott on the fact that students would soon be enrolling in university under one system and would then face higher fees in future years of the same course.
"If you start a course under one system, you'll finish it under that system," Abbott said."If you start a course under one system, you'll finish it under that system," Abbott said.
"It’s possible that they [critics] haven’t quite cottoned on to that fact, but if you are studying now your conditions of study won’t change, if you start next year, your conditions of study won’t change; it’s only for those who start when these changes kick in in 2016 that will have the different conditions applying to them.""It’s possible that they [critics] haven’t quite cottoned on to that fact, but if you are studying now your conditions of study won’t change, if you start next year, your conditions of study won’t change; it’s only for those who start when these changes kick in in 2016 that will have the different conditions applying to them."
Labor's higher education spokesman, Kim Carr, said Abbott's comments were contradicted by the government's Study Assist website, which said the new funding arrangements would affect commonwealth-supported students who accepted an offer after 13 May 2014.Labor's higher education spokesman, Kim Carr, said Abbott's comments were contradicted by the government's Study Assist website, which said the new funding arrangements would affect commonwealth-supported students who accepted an offer after 13 May 2014.
"The government has clearly failed to appreciate the complexities and repercussions of its radical and retrograde changes to the higher education sector," Carr said."The government has clearly failed to appreciate the complexities and repercussions of its radical and retrograde changes to the higher education sector," Carr said.
Labor and the Greens have vowed to oppose increases to fees and student loans. The government’s planned changes include the deregulation of fees, an average reduction of 20% to commonwealth contributions to university courses, and higher interest charges on student loans.Labor and the Greens have vowed to oppose increases to fees and student loans. The government’s planned changes include the deregulation of fees, an average reduction of 20% to commonwealth contributions to university courses, and higher interest charges on student loans.
The Palmer United party leader, Clive Palmer, has also signalled his opposition, indicating the government will struggle to get the package through the Senate.The Palmer United party leader, Clive Palmer, has also signalled his opposition, indicating the government will struggle to get the package through the Senate.
The education minister, Christopher Pyne, said he would speak to vice-chancellors about implementation.The education minister, Christopher Pyne, said he would speak to vice-chancellors about implementation.
Pyne took aim at the "self-indulgence" of the protesting university students who would earn, on average, "75% more than the very people who are paying their taxes so that they can get the best education in the world".Pyne took aim at the "self-indulgence" of the protesting university students who would earn, on average, "75% more than the very people who are paying their taxes so that they can get the best education in the world".
"Rather than criticising the government, they should be buying a bunch of flowers and a box of chocolates and visiting a home near them where they know someone hasn't been to university, knocking on the front door and saying thank you very much for paying for my education," Pyne said during an interview with Alan Jones on 2GB."Rather than criticising the government, they should be buying a bunch of flowers and a box of chocolates and visiting a home near them where they know someone hasn't been to university, knocking on the front door and saying thank you very much for paying for my education," Pyne said during an interview with Alan Jones on 2GB.