Labor blocked reforms allowing UTAS boost

By blocking the Australian Government’s vital higher education reforms, Labor has stopped the University of Tasmania (UTAS) from being able to offer unlimited diploma and pathway places for Tasmanian students. This would have provided a massive new funding stream and thousands of opportunities for Tasmanians.

This expansion is something the Vice Chancellor of UTAS, Professor Peter Rathjen has personally called for – yet something that will not go ahead unless the reforms pass the Senate.

Labor Senators are simply running another scare campaign. They cut $6.6 billion from universities in their last term of office.

Last week Belinda Robinson, head of Universities Australia, the peak body representing all Australian Universities including UTAS said that the closure of campuses may be a result of the reforms not passing.

This would be a tragic outcome that can be prevented. The Government will continue to work towards these essential higher education reforms.

There are two critical reasons why reform is needed – to set university funding on a sustainable footing and dramatically expand opportunities for more students through diplomas and pathway programs that are perfect for regional Tasmania.

Under the reforms UTAS would be able to attract more students to Tasmania to study because of the diversity of teaching and student opportunities under a deregulated system.

The reforms dramatically expand opportunity for more students by for the first time uncapping places for diplomas and pathway courses into university.

Labor should stop its campaign of lies and blame games.