With the beginning of the university year upon us, many Victorians will be excited to start a new phase of life, while others will be returning for another year to achieve their chosen degree.
However, along with that excitement, there are many students who are very nervous about the Abbot federal government’s plans for university deregulation.
It is a policy that will result in significantly higher course costs, while creating a two-tiered university system that will be socially damaging for Australia.
It will significantly disadvantage regional universities, which have much thinner markets, usually consisting of higher levels of disadvantaged students, against the larger universities, which have a wider market and larger competitive pull.
The Abbott government will be remembered not only for savage cuts but for taking away the hope and aspirations of young Australians and dividing Australians into two categories — entrenching forever those who have, and those who have not.