The Australian Democrats have welcomed the release of the Labors White Paper on Higher Education, Research and Innovation, Australias Universities: Building Our Future in the World.
"The Australian Democrats support a number of initiatives in this White Paper, and in fact, have advocated a number of them, such as the abolition of full-fee paying places, reduced HECS rates and improved student income support, for many years," Democrats Higher Education Spokesperson Senator Natasha Stott Despoja said.
"We have long campaigned for Rent Assistance for Austudy students, income support for postgraduates, and improvements to student income support eligibility tests like the parental income test.
"The Democrats fought hard against the imposition of workplace relations and governance requirements for university funding, and we are glad Labors White Paper reverses these appalling policies."
Senator Stott Despoja did however warn that the ALPs policy platform does not go far enough.
"We welcome Labors commitment to improved indexation but hope that it will commit to indexing all university grants. Only then can the disturbing decline in funding to the sector be arrested.
"Additional funding to sustain key student services is also encouraging, but if the ALP is serious about protecting an independent student voice on campus, it must commit to reversing the Howard Governments Voluntary Student Unionism legislation.
"It is disappointing that other areas of higher education policy have been ignored, such as the need to remove taxation on part-time postgraduate scholarships.
"Labors consultative approach is welcome, however it must involve students as key stake holders in their education.
"We look forward to examining the paper in further detail and discussing it with the higher education sector over coming days and weeks," Senator Stott Despoja said.
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