The Universities, The Senate Committee and the Begging Bowl (July 23, 2001)
    We sent the silver blonde over to the NSW State Library last week to report on the public hearing of the Senate committee focusing on The Capacity of Public Universities to Meet Australia’s Higher Education Needs. Having deciphered her sheath of notes this is what we came up with.

Tuesday 17^th: got there few minutes before 9AM. Hearing room looked just like they do on TV, e.g. when Karry Packer gave 'em heaps few years back.

Microphones everywhere for Senators and witnesses, Hansard techo surrounded by recorders, digital tape, amplifiers, mixers, you name it. Said transcribers would get to work next week; over 100 pages for a day's session. Senators started arriving. Libs, John Tierney, Jeannie Ferris, George Brandis (20 minutes late - made grand entrance); Labor, Jacinta Collins (chair), Kim Carr, Trish Crossin. No AD, Stott Despoja called in sick, no one "to keep the bastards honest." Sprinkling of reporters around. Public consisted mostly (entirely?) of supporters for particular witnesses. Disappeared when their guy finished. Yours truly and intrepid assistant only ones to stay the distance.

Wish I had mint concession, consumed at great rate by interrogators from bowls to hand.

Sydney hearings 11^th and 12^th  with two more to go. Not all of committee attend all hearings, still had air of having heard most of it all before. Senator Carr seems to have bee in bonnet about V-Cs salary packages each one had to front up with sheet setting his/hers out. Also worried about particular unis not having sufficient financial safety margin (code for bankruptcy eventualities were they private). Visions of One-Tel and HIH danced in head.  Hammered point re uni commercial venture profitability. Thought it pretty dicey. That ought to give auditors employment for years.

John Niland (V-C Uni NSW) fronted up about 11. Has commerce degrees. Said big reason Oz unis get o/s students is low A$. If dollar goes up could have big effect on uni revenue. Says it all don't it, we ain't good just cheap. Terrific. And my mother used to tell me, "we're not so rich we can afford cheap things." As long as as Oz dollar stays low and o/s parents don't have mother's philosophy Senator Carr needn't worry about bankrupt unis. He can worry if they're any bloody good or not if he wants.
    Niland suggested bipartisan approach for uni support would be a good thing. Raging interest by assembled interrogators.

Mary O'Kane (V-C Adelaide Uni) had her go just before lunch. Computer scientist. Put in her salary sheet. Like all before worried about decline in uni staffing and infrastructure. Said difficult to set course for uni because no clear direction from government on role of unis. Did she really say that? Couldn't think of worse place to look for direction. Damn it tell 'em what unis should do AND WHY, that's what you get paid for.

Not to worry. Who the hell listens to blondes, silver or otherwise - ask Natasha.

Lunch. 90 minute break. Walked tunnel to Mitchell and its Gallery. Exhibition "A Different Perspective" felt I needed it. Panoramic photos of Sydney, etc. by American Melvin Vaniman taken 1903-04, magnificent. Wondered if Senators bothered to have a browse. Still wondering.

2pm. Back to the grind, some senators still not back. As long as one from each side don't matter. Ian Chubb (V-C ANU) and Dereck Schreuder (V-C U Western Australia) representing Australian Vice-Chancellors Committee. Chubb trained in academic medicine. Also suggested importance of bipartisan approach - still no response. Emphasised with 38 Unis don't make one size fit all. Took it to mean - specialise otherwise spreading too thin. Emphasised not strong enough - pleaded more like it. Senator Carr asked Chubb if uni system in crisis. "Don't like using that word too often". "Used it at the National Press Club". No contradiction. Carr took it as a yes. So did everyone else in the room. No comment from Senator Tierney (he was still out to lunch). He'd told SBS Insight months ago, "No crisis." Which end of dog to believe?

Senator Brandis felt unis should take their begging bowls over to private sector and stop bothering the government.

Thought private sector paid taxes too. Thought better unis meant better thinkers, workforce, execs, admin types; so better economy, more taxes, higher senators' wages - apparently enlightened self-interest not part of Brandis' job description.

Chubb told him base funding should be government and PATIENT as in enduring, private sector was short term and specific purposed ("impatient"). Brandis not impressed.

Senators kept asking if quality of uni teaching, diminishing and what about soft marking. Nice one, bit like asking if you've stopped beating wife, dog, children - whatever. General weaseling by witnesses as in quality not suffered but on brink. Ha. Stressed out staff - drained brains, infrastructure suffering from crumbles. whose kidding WHOM?

Juicy bit saved for last, Gavin Brown (V-C U of Sydney) Mathematician, good Scot would have given the English tough fight at Culloden. Definitely "the old dog for the hard road" I'd say. Senator Carr gave his salary package a going over, Brown 1, Carr zip. Then hit him with his lack of "transparency". "Where, give me an example." Example attempted. "Naught to do with me." Brown  2, Carr still zip.

Here we are, just interrogated five V-Cs from what are considered among best of  Oz unis and we're onto tittle-tattle. WORSE, unis have stated Backing Australia's Ability $2.9 billions worth over five years, $159 million this year is helpful but $12-13 billion is needed. Not one question on, "how do ya figger, give us a breakdown, make us believe you." NOT ONE. Lot of interest by Carr on squabble between Dame Leonie and U of S Senate. Excuse being it reflects on governance of the uni. No doubt, still minutia, a distraction.

Big issue governance (a specific Commonwealth ombudsman for uni matters generally agreed to be worthwhile) , also morale (generally poor both students and staff) and atmosphere (described at one uni as poisonous).

Lady Senators much less vocal. Maybe follow ancient Biblical adage, "Hard to think with mouth open."

Wednesday, 18^th. Different cast, same litany.

Depressed. Came away with feeling if it didn't cost (well ok didn't cost much) Committee would be for it.

Wondered if it made any difference anyway. Say:

1. Report written and approved end August (earliest) submitted to Senate.
2. Senate forwards to Government, late September early October, maybe.
3. Government nominally acts on report within 3 months - 6 more usual.
4. There's an election in there somewhere.
5. Who ever takes notice of Senate committees anyway?
6. Sic transit gloria mundi

PRP