Does the Universities' Black Tuesday Mark the Day Brendan Nelson Finally Stumbled Over His Overweening Ambition? (April 20, 2005)

    Ever since Prime Minister John Howard's government was returned to office the Minister for Education, Science and Training, Brendan Nelson, has assumed the guise of a jack-booted-swagger-stick-wheeling caricature of a responsible cabinet minister.

Early on the universities were told that with the impending Senate majority for the Liberal-National coalition that those measures in the Higher Education Reform Bill that had to be watered down in order to gain Senate approval would be back come July. That was reiterated last week at the Sydney Institute with the minister adding, "nothing more, nothing less".

And that included the legislation to introduce voluntary student unionism, workplace relations reform, and revamping university governance.

On April 18 Dr Nelson delivered the inaugural Dame Pattie Menzies Oration. Moving outside his portfolio's area of responsibility he told his audience --

[I]s it not time to consider in the longer term the most obvious power source, nuclear power?
    For a million years CO₂ levels were between 200 and 300 parts per million. They have risen to 380 ppm in 150 years.
    Although much hysteria surrounds global warming, it pales into insignificance compared to that surrounding nuclear power.
    We are a part of the nuclear cycle. About a third of the world’s uranium is at Olympic Dam in South Australia. As Australia’s science minister I have had to deal with the crippling parochialism of the South Australian government refusing to allow the safe storage of low level waste at Woomera. Now it is making arrangements to store its own low and medium level waste in South Australia.
    Simultaneously the same government enthusiastically eyes the economic potential of its massive uranium deposits. Australia already accounts for 19% of global uranium production earning us $427 million in 2002-03.
    Reality check.
    Nuclear power generates 16% of the world’s electricity from 440 stations in 31 countries. In doing so the complete nuclear process emits 2-6 grams of Carbon equivalent per kilowatt-hour. Coal, oil and natural gas emit 100-360 grams of Carbon per kilowatt.
    The nuclear power that today generates 16% of the world’s electricity avoids 600 million tonnes of carbon emissions annually. In plain language that’s 8% of current global greenhouse gas emissions.
    Some people seem happy to tuck themselves into bed at night comfortable in the knowledge that we earn money from exporting uranium and that it generates power in an environmentally friendly way. But they will then man the barricades if any by products are to be shipped and stored, let alone be even considered a future fuel source here at home.
    It is not only in electricity production that nuclear energy offers potential for Australia. It could also be used to fuel water desalination on a large scale.
    The government has no plans whatsoever in this regard, but do we not at least owe it to our future to maturely canvass all our options? Is it not a Liberal ideal to keep an open mind?

The concepts of solar power, wind farms, tidal power, geothermal power or even sequestration didn't get a mention.

Not surprisingly Dr Nelson's straying onto the patch of the Industry, Tourism and Resources Ministry may not have endeared him to its minister. The Age reported, "A spokeswoman for Resources Minister Ian Macfarlane said there was no need for domestic nuclear power because Australia had coal and natural gas reserves tipped to last up to 300 years."

Yesterday Dr Nelson told the universities, "After considering the findings of the report on the review of indexation, the Government has concluded that there is not a strong case for a change to the current indexation arrangements at this time."

On the face of it this was hardly a courageous political act. Neither Prime Minister Howard, nor Treasurer Peter Costello have shown an interest in increasing resources for universities beyond a bare minimum and there appears little likelihood of a backbench revolt or public outcry over the matter. The university vice-chancellors of course have voiced dismay, but it's a fair bet that the attitude of minister Nelson can be summed up as "tough, so what are you gonna do about it?" Well just for once Australia's academics just might begin to show some bottle and do something beyond wringing their hands and whinging. Maybe, because if they don't Australia as a knowledge economy will be stuffed.

Now a while back TFW asked "Has Dr Nelson Gone Too Far in His Attack on 'Compulsory Student Unions'" because Sydney University Sport president Bruce Ross said it "would have a disastrous effect, not only on the sports field, but on the educational and career opportunities of elite sportsmen and women." And yesterday according to The Sydney Morning Herald

A squad of top athletes has hit out at the Federal Government's plan for voluntary student unionism, saying it will hurt athletes' job prospects and Australia's medal chances.

    University sports unions spent $80,000 on newspaper advertisements yesterday and called a press conference attended by the Australian Olympic Committee president, John Coates, Test cricketer Stuart MacGill, Wallaby David Lyons, Paralympian Angie Ballard and basketballer Michelle Musselwhite.

The Herald continued, "If scholarships and other assistance were not available, athletes would have to decide whether to compete or study - a choice described as 'cruel' by the leg spinner, who dropped out of university in Western Australia to focus on cricket.

    "Australian University Sport estimates that only a fifth of students will join campus sports unions if given the choice.

    "Greg Harris, the executive director of Sydney University Sports, said the resulting revenue drop would cause a big reduction in scholarships."

Apparently Dr Nelson isn't impressed by these arguments, telling the Herald, "If students value the services being promoted to them as being worthy of paying a voluntary fee, then presumably they [sports unions] will have little difficulty convincing the average student."

That's tellin' 'em, "Muscles" Nelson, go for the jugular, and up yours, Macfarlane as well.

As for the alternative energy types and the academics, no problem. But if Australia's lucky maybe, just maybe former Labor Party member, now would be Liberal Prime Minister Brendan Nelson has overstepped himself.