[Greens-Media] SA unis to lose $78m unless Labor joins Greens to stop Abbott cuts

[Forsyth, Danielle (Sen P. Wright)]

Senator Penny Wright & Senator Sarah Hanson-Young
MEDIA RELEASE
30 November 2013

SA unis to lose $78m unless Labor joins Greens to stop Abbott cuts



More than $78 million will be ripped out of South Australian universities in the next four years if the Coalition's cuts to higher education go ahead, say Australian Greens Senators for South Australia Penny Wright and Sarah Hanson Young.

The party this week launched a national campaign lobbying selected Labor MPs for their support in blocking the Coalition's plan to rip $2.3 billion out of the higher education budget.

Senator Penny Wright said Labor had one week to join the Greens to stop Tony Abbott's cuts, with the bills to be debated in the Senate next week.

"Although these were Labor cuts originally, we're giving them the opportunity listen to the public and vote against cuts that would only cause further damage to an already struggling higher education system," Senator Wright said.

"Funding education is the best investment we can make for the future. If Labor votes with the Greens we can stop these cuts from becoming law.

"Cutting funding for universities is socially and economically irresponsible."

Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said the 6,000 South Australians due to start university next year would also face $46 million in higher debts because the funding cuts will bring an end to student start-up scholarships. $9.2 million of that burden will be borne by students in the Adelaide electorate.

"South Australia is a smart state but these dumb cuts are putting that at risk," Senator Hanson-Young said.

"Tertiary education is one of our major exports and we should be supporting the sector, not undermining it by cutting to the bone.

"The seat of Adelaide will be particularly hard hit by these cuts and I urge Kate Ellis to stand with the Greens to defend university funding."

Media contact:                    For Senator Wright - Danielle Forsyth 0417 173 508

                                                  For Senator Hanson-Young - Noah Schultz-Byard 0427 604 760

Full figures of the impact of university funding cuts to the Adelaide electorate below.




Impact of university cuts on the electorate of Adelaide
The Australian Greens have identified 27 Labor seats across Australia where the higher education sector is of particular importance, including high student populations, high staff populations and the number of campuses within the electorate.
The Federal seat of Adelaide, held by Kate Ellis, has South Australia's highest number of students and staff and is home to campuses of Adelaide University and the University of South Australia.

List of Labor electorates with significant student populations that will be impacted by cuts
ELECTORATE NAME

MP NAME

CURRENT STUDENT NUMBERS (from ABS)

% OF STUDENTS ON YOUTH ALLOWANCE (from DEEWR)

CURRENT STAFF NUMBER (from ABS)

PROJECTED NUMBER OF STUDENTS ON YOUTH ALLOWANCE IN 2014

PROJECTED DEBT INCREASE IN ELECTORATE FROM 2014 (Column F x $8,400)

Adelaide

Kate Ellis

15,217

22.96

2147

1129

$9,255,031


List of Universities in and around target Labor electorates
ELECTORATE NAME

UNIVERSITY NAME

IMPACT TO UNIVERSITIES IN ELECTORATE (Budget figures from Commonwealth Grants Scheme)

Adelaide

University of Adelaide and University of South Australia

$58 million