Peter Beattie backs Government’s reforms

Another Labor heavy-weight has added his strong support for the Coalition Government’s higher education reforms last night.

Peter Beattie, former Labor Premier of Queensland said on Sky News’ Paul Murray Live last night that the Senate needs to pass the Government’s reforms or it will be risking the future of higher education.

Mr Beattie joins a growing list of Labor luminaries who support the need for reform including former Labor Foreign Minister and Leader of the Government in the Senate, Gareth Evans AC, QC; Former Labor Member for Bennelong, Maxine McKew; the former Labor Minister for Employment, Education and Training and Former Labor Treasurer, John Dawkins AO; the father of the Higher Education Contribution Scheme and Labor Adviser, Professor Bruce Chapman.

Labor is tied up in knots over higher education. Today Senator Kim Carr has flagged a return to university central control and caps, allowing the Federal Minister to micromanage universities.

“This is command and control by Labor from Canberra over every aspect of our universities. They will tell universities what to teach, who to teach and who is allowed to learn,” Mr Pyne said.

“Senator Carr also failed to rule out re-capping the system and dismantling Julia Gillard’s great achievement, the demand driven system. These changes will lock out battlers from university forever,” he said.

It is time to end the Carrmagedon. Time for Senator Carr and Bill Shorten to listen to those who built the modern Labor Party and achieved many great deeds of the past.