Melbourne Vice-Chancellor Kwong Lee Dow and Labor's Deputy Leader Face Off over $108 Million. (June 30, 2004)

    The Australian reports in today's Higher Education Supplement that Melbourne University estimates were Labor to assume government following the coming federal election the university will be $108 million worse off over the next five years compared to its estimated income under the Coalition because of Labor's stated intention to phase out full-fee-paying places and reverse the 25% increases to HECS.

No so says Jenny Macklin, Labor's Deputy Leader and Education Spokeswomen, "Melbourne University will not be $100 million worse off over the next five years. Melbourne University needs to take into account the full impact of Labor's indexation and other positive measures on its budget."

In rebuttal Professor Lee Dow told The Australian, "We can only do a budget on what we know; all we can do is examine the policies of both sides and try to estimate the impact of the various elements of those policies on the university."

In the meantime the executive director of the Australian Vice-Chancellors' Committee, John Mullarvey, stated that while Ms Macklin left no doubt "that there would be no compensation for the removal of HECS increases or full-fee-paying students [she] indicated that the Labor Party would be introducing 'proper indexation' and that would replace any funding that was removed from the HECS."

The fact remains, however, that Labor is being vague as to the resources that it will provide to the higher education sector both in regard to catering for undergraduates as well as its plans for upgrading university infrastructure. Support for research both within and outside universities, and providing incentives for private sector research.... the cone of silence remains.