By Marina Cameron and Natasha Simons
Massive outrage in the higher education sector greeted the government's pre-budget statement outlining cuts to university operating grants, increases to HECs and further up-front fees, released on August 9.
Student organisations were quick to condemn the cuts, with the National Union of Students labelling the Howard government "the worst ever for higher education". The National Tertiary Education and Industry Union (NTEU) launched a scathing attack on the government's refusal to grant funding for a staff pay rise, threatening further industrial action, possibly including a ban on final semester exam results. The union will continue to demand supplementary funding, rather than having the pay rise eat further into university operating funds.
Others expressing concern over the cuts include a number vice-chancellors, two senior legal academics and even a convention of the NSW Young Liberals.
The Democrats, ALP and Greens have pledged to block changes to HECS and up-front fees in the Senate. Higher education is likely to be a key area of debate around the budget. However, the strategy of the opposition parties remains one of making deals on the worst aspects of the budget rather than opposing it outright. HECS and fees changes are considered more possible to block because they would require changes to other legislation, i.e. the Higher Education Funding Act.
Attempting to relate to increased public sentiment and recover some of its credibility, the ALP has come out against HECS and fees changes. However, the ALP is unlikely to provide any consistent opposition, since the cuts are simply an extension of what it implemented in government.
After a 30,000-mobilisation on August 7, another national day of action has been called by NUS for August 29, supported by many on-campus education action groups and cross-campus committees. Students intend to continue their alliance with the NTEU, calling for the union to join the August 29 action.
Students are taking up the demand that the ALP, Democrats and Greens stop the Liberals in their tracks by blocking the budget in the Senate, while stressing that the student movement should continue to focus on publicising and explaining the impact of the cuts to students, and mobilising larger and larger numbers of students and staff.
In NSW students have discussed building August 29 beyond the education sector, involving trade unions and other sections of the community outraged and affected by budget cuts. Student groups also intend to strengthen links with high school students, the first affected by HECS changes next year. High school students addressed rallies on August 7 and, in Perth on August 16, held their own action against education cuts.
To build on these plans, some student leaders are calling for more discussion amongst activists on the way forward after August 29. Wendy Robertson, student activist in the NSW cross campus network and member of the Sydney University Resistance club, says, "The best thing would be for NUS to call for statewide education campaign strategy conferences in September. Strategy conferences held in each state during the holidays would be a great way for activists, including those in the NTEU, to look at what the budget means and develop a short- and long-term strategy to fight the attacks."