Dr Nelson Due for a Prat Fall Over "Voluntary Student Unionism"? (October 10, 2005)

    The signs for the white anting of the Minister for Education, Science and Training, Brendan Nelson's push for deputy leadership of the Federal Liberal Party and eventual leadership are becoming increasingly obvious.

Ever since Dr Nelson was parachuted into the Cabinet and took over the Department of Education, Science and Training he has demonstrated a remarkable political ineptitude in bringing his party colleagues and powerbrokers on side. Finesse is not an attribute that one readily associates with the good doctor, and his at times clownish behaviour can reach remarkable heights. The nonsense of running away from Sydney University's 60 peaceful protesters as though they were Mary Shelley's village rabble attacking Frankenstein's monster is but the latest example.

The moment the media got hold of the fact that the extra-course fees charged by universities supported, among other initiatives, university sporting facilities, Dr Nelson was on a loser.  At the time, were he an astute politician, he would have come out not only with a denial but with a mechanism to take the heat off and show that "Sports must and will be preserved; may I fall on my sword if it isn't."

He might have done the same for childcare, photocopying and other facilities but that would have been of secondary importance.

But no, with a resolution rivalling Horatius and the Bridge holding back the Etruscan hordes he would not yield until Rome was saved at which point he dived into the seething waters of the Tiber in full armour, swam to shore and was pulled from the torrent by his fellows.

In Dr Nelson's case once the compromises on student fees are reached Horatius Nelson may well find himself hung out to dry.

In the latest chapter, The Australian reports that it has obtained documents from DEST under Freedom of Information showing that the "introduction of voluntary student unionism could force disadvantaged students out of universities".

According to Michael McKinnon, listed by The Australian as its FOI editor, "departmental documents show that at least three other options for change have been considered by the federal Government. The Education Department claims the alternative policies should be kept secret because their release is not in the public interest."

McKinnon goes on to say, "The documents, obtained by The Australian using Freedom of Information laws, also show that ideology has driven the Government's desire to implement VSU," and as evidence to support his contention states, "Education Department bureaucrats note that an alternative plan from university vice-chancellors for a services fee should not be adopted because it would fund artistic pursuits. 'Clearly art can be political, as some people argue that its function is to be political,' departmental documents state."

We assume that both the visual and the performing arts are included. On that assumption perhaps an adaptation of David Pownall's Masterclass with Brendan Nelson as the protagonist may be being contemplated.

Finally McKinnon lets us know that he was not entirely successful in getting what he wanted under FOI. "The Australian, in its FOI application, had also sought details of the Government's calculation of the expected decline in student services flowing from the introduction of VSU. But Dr Nelson's spokesman declined to say whether the minister would release the documents and also declined to answer why it was in the public interest for the documents not to be released."

Meanwhile, the matters of research and learning at our universities continue to gain scant attention from media or the Opposition, allowing the Coalition government's squeeze play of the universities to continue while the ideologues gain ground to the national determent -- but then wot the hell archie, wot the hell.