Steven Smith and Labor's White Paper -- Australia’s Universities: Building our Future in the World. (December 13, 2006)

    Federal Labor's Opposition education and training spokesman Stephen Smith says he specifically asked his leader, Kevin Rudd for the job but admits, "I don't hide from the fact that I've got a lot of work to do."

This past July the white paper Australia’s Universities: Building our Future in the World  was issued by Jenny Macklin then  shadow minister for education, training, science and research, deputy leader of the Labor opposition.

The document is strong on decrying the damage done to the universities by a decade of Prime Minister John Howard's reign but light on just how it proposed to implement its broad picture of reform (see conclusion below).

What changes in the overall concepts espoused by the 100 page document will be made under the new "Labor management" remains to be promulgated, but Mr Rudd together with Mr Stevens hasn't got much time before an October (or earlier) election.

The Australian Vice-Chancellors' Committee has already indicated it wants a better explanation of Labor's alternative to the Research Quality Framework and has called on Labor to "quantify its offer of increased funding" to Australia's universities.

Carolyn Allport, president of the National Tertiary Education Union told  The Australian "the union would press Mr Smith to cut back government interference in the sector; to get a clearer definition of research impact; and to introduce an 'effective student-income support scheme', including scholarships to offset fee increases."

Labor summarises its white paper with this vague set of conclusions:

This White Paper has highlighted areas of vital importance to Australia’s future, where the current policy settings are holding us back.

The power of education is that it can transform individuals, widen their mental horizons, and build skills that help build the nation, and reinforce values and develop understandings that help pluralistic communities live well together.

Australia needs a culture of excellence in all of our universities so that we can build a modern economy able to hold its own in the world.

Our failure to innovate reflects gaps in the national innovation policy for connecting firms with the people and facilities they need to develop their products to meet market challenges.

Our productivity decline reflects gaps in the national skills formation system – not only quantitative skills shortages across many professional, paraprofessional and technical occupations and traditional trades – but also qualitative deficiencies in the skills base. Social tensions, too, frequently reflect a reluctance of government to draw upon evidence and expertise in the development of policy approaches to complex problems. Education can bridge gaps in understandings of differences, and thereby help avoid conflicts based on prejudice and ideology.

Australia needs sharper vision, backed up with substantive, contemporary policies that tackle our most serious problems.

Australia needs true leadership that raises our sights and lifts our spirits, promotes cooperation and builds a nation we can be proud to belong to. A Beazley Labor Government will give that leadership.