Coker and Plibersek hear concerns about changes to university funding

UNIVERSITY students and those that are hoping to go from across the Geelong region have expressed their fears about the impact of the Coalition’s proposed university reforms.
Announced in June, the Job-ready Graduates Package “focuses the public investment in higher education on national priorities and ensures the system delivers for students, industry and the community”.
The Coalition says the changes will better align federal funding of universities to “emerging labour market priority areas”, including nursing, health occupations, teaching and IT, and about 60 per cent of students (based on existing enrolments) will benefit from a reduction in student contributions or would see no change to student contributions.
Federal Labor say the changes will make it harder and more expensive for young people to go to university, with the cost of some degrees to increase by 113 per cent.
Corangamite Labor federal member Libby Coker and Shadow Minister for Education and Training Tanya Plibersek hosted an online Q&A event on Thursday last week to discuss the issue.
Surf Coast Secondary College student Lily Watterson, who hopes to study an arts degree in 2021, was one of the virtual attendees.
Ms Watterson, who lives in Lorne, said the proposed changes were “crazy”.
“I can’t decide between psychology and law so I figure (an arts degree) will give me the space to understand what I like studying and what I don’t.
“However, I live regionally, so I definitely can’t commute to uni every day and having this added pressure of the fees more than doubling is just crazy.
“There’s no way I can afford to move to Melbourne and support myself. I’ve got a single parent so it’s not like I’m going to be getting my rent paid every week.
“I just think this is crazy, it’s a crazy time for the government to do this. And I know I’m not alone, I’m not in a unique situation; this is quite common among my peers.
“Even if I wanted to do a degree that was supported by the government financially, I’ve already picked my subjects and haven’t done the prerequisites to actually be eligible.”
Ms Plibersek sympathised with Ms Watterson’s situation and encouraged her to write to her local Liberal and National MPs, as well as Education Minister Dan Tehan.
“It’s such a common story, and I’m so sorry for you,” she said.
“It’s not fair to expect someone at your late stage of education to throw away all your plans because you can’t afford them anymore.”
Consultation on the exposure draft legislation closed on August 17.