Advocacy | Letters to Crossbench senators on proposed changes to university funding

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AAANZ president Wendy Garden has written to the six crossbench senators in federal parliament to express our concerns over the proposed changes to university fees and funding.

See our submission on the package here: https://aaanz.info/advocacy-aaanz-letter-to-minister-dan-tehan-on-the-job-ready-graduates-package/

Key concerns include:

  • The increase in fees for Humanities degrees by 113%.
  • The impact on women of these fee hikes, as women make up two-thirds of students enrolled in Humanities degrees, with long term impacts on financial security and widening the gender gap.
  • The basic premise of the ‘Jobs ready’ package which implies that Humanities and the arts does not create graduates with job-relevant skill sets (despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary).
  • The lack of awareness of current directions in research and teaching that are bringing the arts and STEM closer together to produce innovation in research and clear economic benefit.
  • The lack of recognition that humanities and arts graduates currently contribute the the thriving creative industries, which pre-COVID, injected over $111.7 billion to the national economy each year.
  • In regards to the community that AAANZ represents, the fact that arts, public and private galleries play an important role in communities across Australia (from large cities to regional towns) contributing to the economy, well-being, and community-building.
  • The overall effect on university funding, and the fact that this package will see an overall decrease in funding for student learning, despite the fa t that university places will be increased.

The letters are available to read below and we encourage members to consider writing to these senators ahead of the introduction of the bill to Parliament in the spring sitting period.

AAANZ Letter to Senator Griff

AAANZ Letter to Senator Hanson

AAANZ Letter to Senator Lambie

AAANZ Letter to Senator Patrick

AAANZ Letter to Senator Roberts

AAANZ Letter to Senator Sharkie

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