[Greens-Media] Higher education portfolio - fourth Minister in six months through revolving door

[Bailey, Jemma (Sen L. Rhiannon)]

Media release – 1 July 2013

Higher ed portfolio - fourth Minister in six months through revolving door

The Australian Greens have welcomed Kim Carr’s appointment to the tertiary education portfolio, calling on him to reverse Labor’s $3.2 billion cut to university funding, and expressed concern about carving out skills and training from the higher education portfolio.

“Tearing billions from our universities is not only dumb it is deeply unpopular and Minister Carr should make it is his first step to reverse Labor’s $3.2 billion raid on university funding”, said Greens higher education spokesperson Senator Rhiannon.

“Labor’s cuts have paved the way for the Coalition to join in stripping universities of funding and now Mr Carr has the opportunity to reverse this damaging policy and put the heat back on Mr Abbott.

“Mr Carr will be the government’s fourth higher education Minister in less than six months.

“Our university sector deserves more stability than this revolving door of ministers, shifting in less than 6 months between Chris Evans, Chris Bowen, Craig Emerson and now Mr Carr.

“It’s not clear what Labor’s reason is for carving out skills and training from the higher education portfolio, given Labor’s long-standing rhetoric about the need to build pathways between vocational colleges and universities”, said Ms Rhiannon.

Contact Jemma Bailey 0487 350 880


Jemma Bailey
Media adviser (p/t Mon - Wed)
Office of Senator Lee Rhiannon | Australian Greens Senator for New South Wales
m: 0487 350 880 | p: (02) 9211 9523 | f: (02) 9211 3312
http://lee-rhiannon.greensmps.org.au/