Melbourne University's Vice-Chancellor Decries Federal Government's Higher Education Reforms. The Department Replies with Non Sequiturs*. (May 17. 2005)

    Melbourne University's Vice-Chancellor Glyn Davis had a chat with The Age's David Rood yesterday.

"It's not easy on the one hand when a federal minister criticises salaries for being too low, as [Minister for Education, Science and Training Brendan] Nelson did, and on the other hand makes it clear that he is not prepared to provide any further income," Professor Davis told Rood. "He also passed legislation that stops us charging any additional [student amenities] fees of any sort, the effect of which is cutting discretional funds."

Furthermore, "Universities all made in good faith financial commitments to our staff based on what the Commonwealth told us would be our income. And then last month the Commonwealth announced there would be new conditions."

The Federal Government established new industrial requirements last month, stating that universities must offer individual workplace agreements in order to receive $280 million a year in funding.

According to Rood's report:

A spokesman for Education Minister Dr Nelson said that Melbourne University would gain an additional $59 million in government funding and HECS revenue in the next three years. He was unable to say how much of this would come from the Federal Government.

The spokesman said university staff should have the same opportunities as the wider workforce. "They [the universities] have opportunities to gain additional funding by offering those Australian Workplace Agreements," he said.

Former NSW Premier, Nick Griner once remarked that the quality of his public statements was highly dependent on just who on his staff made them.

*In this case Non sequitur is used to mean a disconnected comment that is not particularly relevant to the discussion.