Kiraz Janicke, Perth
Around 40 students ambushed Prime Minister John Howard on February 3, chanting "Howard, come off it, education is not for profit" as he entered the 6PR radio station. The following day, another crowd gathered outside Liberal candidate Stuart Henry's election campaign launch.
The actions were organised by the Cross Campus Education Network (CCEN) to protest against the federal government's attacks on higher education. WA universities have introduced up-front fee-paying spaces at the same time as some 30% of all high school applicants missed out on university places for 2004.
Murdoch University made 55 second-round offers to up-front fee-paying students, predominately in law and commerce courses, at $17,300 per year. These students require a Tertiary Entrance Rank score 19.8 marks below the rank for HECS-funded places.
Zaneta Mascarenhas, National Union of Students (NUS) West President told Green Left Weekly that, "Howard's education policy is not acceptable for students or the future of Australia. The Liberals are scared about how much education is going to be an issue [in this election] and knows everyone wants the Liberals out of power".
According to Fred Fuentes, Resistance activist and University of Western Australia Guild Councilor, "Education activists need to build the biggest possible national day of action on March 31 to demand that the legislation is repealed. This will involve building open and democratic education action groups on campus, and building links with the anti-war collectives and activists, who will be mobilising for the March 20 action against the occupation of Iraq". The CCEN has already voted to build a student contingent for March 20 under the slogan "Money for education not war".
[To get involved in the education campaign or the student contingent for March 20 contact Zaneta on 0403 990 196, Leonie on 0405 409 137 or Fred on 9218 9608.]
From Green Left Weekly, February 11, 2004.
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