[Greens-Media] FW: MEDIA RELEASE: GREENS JOIN QUEENSLAND UNIS TO FIGHT CUTS

[Klug, Georgie (Sen C. Milne)]

MEDIA RELEASE
Saturday 1 June
GREENS JOIN QUEENSLAND UNIS TO FIGHT CUTS
Australian Greens Leader Senator Christine Milne and Greens Senate candidate Adam Stone have today joined Queensland universities and students in Brisbane to oppose Labor and Tony Abbott's $2.3 billion university cuts.
The visit is part of a new Greens' national campaign - Uni Cuts Hurt - to stop the old parties slashing university funding.
As part of the campaign, Senator Milne is meeting with university students and staff across the country to discuss the impact of funding cuts, and the decision to turn student start-up scholarships into HECS-style loan.
Senator Milne said cutting funding to universities will hurt approximately 240,000 Queensland students.
"The average cost of applying an efficiency dividend to universities is estimated to be $200 per student, meaning Queensland universities could be around $50 million dollars worse off," Senator Milne said.
"This comes on top of the Newman government cutting TAFE and vocational funding by seven per cent in the state budget.
"These cuts will have a huge impact on Queensland students including reducing the number of university courses, increasing class sizes and making it hard for them to afford basic things like textbooks and public transport.
"If Australia is to move from a resource based economy to a knowledge and service based economy we have to invest in education from early childhood right through to tertiary level.

"The Greens want to invest in the future of the nation, which is why we will strongly oppose these cuts to universities in the Senate."
Queensland Greens Senate candidate Adam Stone said many students were already struggling to make ends meet.
"Queensland students are already hurting but Labor's plan to make the start-up scholarships a part of HECS will have a huge impact on our most disadvantaged students," Mr Stone said.
"We have the highest proportion of regional and Indigenous students in the country and many of them will now be unable to afford to go to university.
"Why should Queensland students have to take out personal loans or increase their debt to the government if they want to pursue a higher education?
"This is just not acceptable and if I am elected to the Senate in September I will be working hard to block the cuts to university funding."

Media contacts:

Senator Milne - Georgie Klug 0438 376 082

Adam Stone - 0417 629 852