Editorial-30 October 2007

 

 
 

 

 

 

To Subjugate, Be

Consistent

In  Attack

 

 

He was known as whispering death, and at his peak, one of cricket's most feared express bowlers.

 If Michael Holding had one guiding principle, it was to be consistent in his attack.

 

And what has this to do with higher education policy in Australia?

 

Over the past 11½ years, the Coalition government's approach to higher education has been a model of consistency.

 

Just occasionally have they strayed off a length or varied their line.

 

Whether the minister set to minding the portfolio was Senator Amanda Vanstone, Dr David Kemp, Dr Brendan Nelson or Ms Julie Bishop, the puppet master remained John Howard, and most assuredly from the viewpoint of the wellbeing of Australia's university sector and its future he was, and if left in the position will continue to be, consistent in furthering its slow, lingering, whispering death.

 

Will a government led by Kevin Rudd significantly reverse the decline of the university sector?

 

Perhaps its an experiment worth undertaking?

  

 

Alex Reisner

The Funneled Web