Education Tops Tourism -- the Siren Call of the Immediate Export Dollar. (June 20, 2008)

On of the mantras of the Rudd Labor government is that we should not be seduced by immediate gains at the cost of the long-term good.

Data released by the Reserve Bank shows that exports of education — mostly via foreign students studying here in Australian universities — earned $12.6 billion last year, whereas tourism earned $11.8 billion.

Tim Colebatch of The Age points out that the Reserve Bank in its monthly Bulletin also notes "that so far this decade, Australia's export volumes on average have grown only 2.4% a year compared with average growth of 8% a year in the 1990s. Only mining and education exports have kept growing at the same pace as in the '90s... The volume of Australia's education exports has maintained a growth rate of 12.9% a year over this decade, while the volume of tourism exports has shrunk by 0.4% a year and exports of other services averaged growth of just 1.9%."

Kevin Rudd has more than once proclaimed the importance of looking to the longer good of the nation and scorned John Howard and his Coalition government for its populist approach to curry immediate favour with the voters. That coupled with the former prime minister's detestation of university academics has been one of the major factors in universities chasing the "export dollar".

But in doing so the universities have sacrificed areas of academe essential for perusing the greater good of the nation for quick financial gains in the courses they offer.

Will the Rudd government really pursue its stated goal for the greater good so far as support for the tertiary sector?

Well, Kurt Lambeck the President of the Australian Academy of Science told Science this week  that Senator Kim Carr, Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research is passionate about innovation: "He recognizes that science and technology are important, and he's certainly seeking input from the community. But it's too soon to tell if he's listening."

That can be said of more than one member of the Rudd Cabinet.

On the other hand it was an unnecessary comment as regarded the previous government.