Fed: Uni students face higher fees for degrees

AAP General News (Australia)
12-05-2003
Fed: Uni students face higher fees for degrees

Students face higher fees for university degrees after the federal government finally
won support for its contentious $2.4 billion university reform package.

After a marathon sitting of the Senate, and the consideration of hundreds of amendments,
four independent senators got behind the government's proposals.

But the package has been substantially changed after rounds of horse-trading.

Education Minister BRENDAN NELSON, having made three rounds of concessions, caved-in
to the independents' final demand removing the link between $404 million in funding and
industrial relations reforms.

Under the deal, universities will be able to hike fees by up to 25 per cent above HECS rates.

Up to 35 per cent of student places will go to full-fee paying students, indexation
will be reviewed, and in a win for students the HECS threshold will be raised to $36,184
in line with graduate starting salaries.

The deal now goes back to a special sitting of the House of Representatives later today
where it will be ticked off.

AAP RTV sw/psm/

KEYWORD: UNIVERSITIES (CANBERRA)

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