Advocate Federal Election 2010

Advocate JOURNAL OF THE NATIONAL TERTIARY EDUCATION UNION

Volume 17, Number 3, August 2010

ISSN 1321–8476

REPRESENTING EMPLOYEES IN HIGHER EDUCATION, TAFE, ADULT EDUCATION, R ACGP, RESEARCH INSTITUTES AND UNIVERSIT Y COMPANIES

FEDERAL ELECTION 2010

Featuring our Election Questionnaire: all the parties’ responses to all the important issues for our sector

Advocate JOURNAL OF THE NATIONAL TERTIARY EDUCATION UNION

Advocate is published by National Tertiary Education Union, PO Box 1323, South Melbourne VIC 3205 Australia ISSN 1321-8476 ABN 38 579 396 344 ph: 03 9254 1910 fax: 03 9254 1915 email: national@nteu.org.au

VOLUME 17, NUMBER 3, AUGUST 2010

Publisher......................................... Grahame McCulloch Editor............................................... Carolyn Allport Production....................................Paul Clifton Editorial Assistance.........................Anastasia Kotaidis Feedback and advertising................. advocate@nteu.org.au All text & images © NTEU 2010 unless otherwise stated.

In accordance with NTEU policy to reduce our impact on the natural environment, this magazine is printed on Behaviour–a 30% recycled stock, manufactured by a PEFC Certified mill, which is ECF Certified Chlorine Free.

Advocate is also available online (e-book and PDF) at www.nteu.org.au/advocate NTEU members may opt for ‘soft delivery’ (email notification rather than printed copy) for all NTEU magazines. Login to the members’ area at www.nteu.org.au to access your membership details.

Cover photo: Kutay Tanir

CONTENTS WORK/LIFE BALANCE

EDITORIAL

1

Policies at a glance

 7

POSTGRADS

HIGHER EDUCATION POLICY  2 INVESTING IN PEOPLE & SOCIETY

7

Ensuring our universities matter in this election • • • • • •

Our universities matter

Institutional autonomy University funding Academic workforce development Academic freedom Student demand and income support Student advocacy and representation

SUSTAINABILITY  8

HUMAN RIGHTS

HEWRRs could be resurrected

 9

Walking in two worlds • • • • • •

Improved Indigenous student income support and scholarships Genuine consultation Improved pathways models Mandated Indigenous employmetn targets End the NT Intervention Return Stolen Wages

 10

* Seat currently held by Coalition but notionally Labor due to redistribution.

0.90% 1.20% 1.20% 1.30% 1.30% 1.50%

Bolded = Significant university campus in seat.

THE SEATS Electorates in play What are the game changing electorates in this election?

CSU

0.50% 0.50% 0.01% 0.02%

SCU

UniSA

Newcastle 0.60%

2.90% 3.00%

LABO R

Bowman (QLD) McEwen (VIC) Hughes (NSW) La Trobe (VIC) Paterson (NSW) Sturt (SA) Ryan (QLD) Cowper (NSW) Cowan (WA) Stirling (WA) Hinkler (QLD) Boothby (SA) Fairfax (QLD) Fisher (QLD) Calare (NSW) Wright (QLD) Wentworth (NSW)

Macquarie

Deakin

UWS

CQU

UTAS

CQU

Newcastle

1%

1.00% 0.90% 0.90% 0 .80% 0.50 % 0.40 % 0.30% 0.30% 0.20% CDU 0.10% Newcastle 0.03% JCU

1.40% 1.40%

2%

JCU

 6

SWIN G TO

ITION COAL

Leichhardt (QLD) Franklin (TAS) Dobell (NSW) Forde (QLD) Dawson (QLD) Page (NSW) Braddon (TAS) Eden-Monaro (NSW) Flynn (QLD) Longman (QLD) Bennelong (NSW) Deakin (VIC) Bass (TAS) Corangamite (VIC) Hasluck (WA) Dickson* (QLD) Macarthur* (NSW) Gilmore* (NSW) Macquarie (NSW) Swan* (WA) Solomon (NT) Robertson (NSW) Herbert* (QLD)

INDIGENOUS

G TO SWIN 2.60% 2.40% 2.30% 2.30% 2.20% 1.90%

3%

3.50% 3.50% 3.80% 3.90%

4.10% 4.00% 3.90% 3.40%

4%

SCU

Ensuring excellence

Human rights a battleground • Academic freedom • Recognition of same-sex marriage • Protect the human rights of asylum seekers and refugees

RESEARCH • Excellence in Research Australia • Competitive research funding • Reducing the reliance on casuals

Climate policies going nowhere • Reduce Australia’s greenhouse gas emissions • Develop a national pollution reduction scheme • Actively encourage renewable energy

• No re-introduction of WorkChoices and HEWRRs • Expand the role of Fair Work Australia

 5

Pivotal time for Postgraduates Nigel Palmer, President, Council of Australian Postgraduate Associations

INDUSTRIAL  4

Balancing work and family • Paid parental leave with 6 months paid leave • Give Fair Work Australia coverage of family friendly flexibility disputes

Carolyn Allport, National President Grahame McCulloch, General Secretary Ted Murphy, National Assistant Secretary

12

STUDENTS Student priorities Carla Drakeford, President, National Union of Students

CANDIDATES 12

NTEU members in the running We profile NTEU members running in this election.

Visit NTEU's 2010 Federal Election campaign web site for: • Full versions of the parties' responses to our questionnaire.

• Full versions of the NTEU member candidate profiles.

• The latest news and updates.

www.nteu.org.au/campaigns/federal_election_2010

EDITORIAL

Dr Carolyn Allport National President

Policies at a glance A

t the time of writing (30 July), the 2010 Federal Election campaign looks to be the most uninspiring in living memory. The official policy platforms of Labor and the Coalition are almost indistinguishable on many key issues with some limited but notable exceptions. Both parties are focussed exclusively on winning a small number of swinging voters in twenty or so marginal seats and therefore wish to avoid sharp policy debates and confrontations.

Sound bites and photo opportunities are the order of the day. Paradoxically, this does not mean there are not real differences, but these can only be discerned by looking beyond some of the official election campaign announcements, and making judgements based on earlier announcements and initiatives from Labor and the Coalition.

For this special election issue of the Advocate, NTEU surveyed Labor, the Coalition, the Greens and Family First on the Union’s key concerns – higher education funding and policy, industrial relations, work and family balance, Indigenous rights, climate change, and human rights.

Our survey was conducted before new Prime Minister Julia Gillard called the election on 17 July.

Labor Labor’s responses are a mixed bag. While it has substantially increased public investment in the University system, the scale of this investment is insufficient to meet its expanded participation objectives and is declining as a share of GDP and Budget outlays.

Moreover, much of its funding relies on performance based and specific purpose programs and is accompanied by a demand driven system (from 2012) which is likely to produce a sharper separation of teaching and research activities, and an unstable planning framework. These concerns are offset to some degree by Labor’s commitment to introduce a far more robust and higher indexation regime from 2013 onwards.

Labor‘s Fair Work Act (a substantial but nonetheless inadequate improvement on the Coalition’s WorkChoices), will remain unchanged.

Labor has deferred strong action on climate change, has watered down its commitment to humane treatment of asylum seekers and refugees and maintained a status quo position on Indigenous social justice. Its 2010 paid parental leave scheme is a major and welcome reform, but it is not well designed – in essence it is a baby bonus scheme rather than a true paid leave scheme with the 18 week payment capped at the minimum wage and unresolved anomalies arising from its interaction with paid maternity leave regulated by industrial agreements.

AUGUST 2010 www.nteu.org.au

Ted Murphy National Assistant Secretary

Grahame McCulloch General Secretary

Coalition While the Coalition has sought to distance itself from the last Coalition Government, some of its survey responses reveal continuity with John Howard’s policy outlook. Tony Abbott is not committed to increased public investment in tertiary education instead preferring to reintroduce full fees for Australian undergraduates and to keep open the possibility of raising HECS fees.

Unlike Labor, the Coalition will not commit to a legislative guarantee of academic freedom or to providing funding for student union advocacy and representation. While ruling out legislative amendments to the Fair Work Act, the Coalition is likely to use the powers of regulation to achieve a WorkChoices lite regime. In particular, the Coalition has explicitly kept open the possibility of linking future university funding to HEWRRs style university industrial relations arrangements.

Like Labor, the Coalition has avoided strong action on climate change and opted to match the Labor commitment to a 5% emissions reduction by 2020 based on direct action rather than a market or taxed based carbon price. The Coalition’s 26 week paid maternity leave scheme (based on full pay and superannuation up to salaries $150K and financed by a 1.7% large company tax levy) is clearly superior to the Labor alternative.

Greens and Family First Family First ranks highly on higher education funding, research and work, life, balance but scores poorly on industrial relations. It is most unlikely to retain its Senate seat.

The Greens’ policies are most consistently in line with NTEU’s priorities. They would improve on the current Fair Work Act (notably through the abolition of secret postal ballots for industrial action and an expanded role for Fair Work Australia in dealing with workplace discrimination), advocate higher public investment and autonomy for tertiary education, support wider and deeper action on climate change, provide better protection and support for asylum seekers and refugees and commit to an extensive action program to close the gap for Indigenous Australians.

The Greens strong policy commitments need to be balanced against their practical inability to play a role in forming a Government. It is much easier to take a principled stand on key issues when the realities and compromises of governing do not have to be considered. A good case can be made that a Green balance of power in the Senate might assist NTEU in amending legislation and programs affecting tertiary education and our members’ wider industrial and professional interests.

Conclusions The NTEU Officers do not support the return of the Coalition to Government, particularly given its views on higher education funding and industrial relations.

1

HIGHER EDUCATION POLICY

Ensuring our universities matter in this election Our universities matter

INVESTING IN PEOPLE & SOCIETY

W

hile NTEU members are interested in the level and composition of university funding, they are equally concerned with the safeguarding of institutional autonomy. In particular, there is apprehension over the potential instability and uncertainty the introduction of a student demand driven funding model may create. Given the ageing of the academic workforce and the impact of the increased use of insecure forms of employment (such as casual employment) on the attractiveness of university careers, NTEU is seeking commitments for clear policy measures on academic staff workforce development. Finally, members also want to know what the position of the different parties is in relation to the cost of attending university for students, student income support and independent student representation and advocacy.

Funding NTEU is seeking a policy commitment from all parties to implement the Bradley Review recommendation of increasing funding per government supported student by 10% over 2007 levels.

Interestingly, the ALP’s response does not commit to this policy. Rather, the ALP outlines the increases in public investment and research that were delivered as part of the 2009 Federal Budget, as: Overall the Gillard Labor Government is investing $36 billion in university teaching and learning and more than $9.6 billion in research from 2008–09 to 2011–12, compared with $27.9 billion for teaching and learning over the last four years of the former Coalition Government (2004–05 to 2007– 08) and around $5.8 billion for research over the same period. Higher education spending will jump from 0.82 per cent of GDP in 2007–8 to 1.0 per cent in 2010–11.

NTEU has acknowledged these large increases in public investment and has publicly supported a number of the government’s policy objectives including increased participation, especially for students from low SES backgrounds.

2

However, our analysis, as well as that of other commentators, shows that the Government’s policy initiatives only deliver about half the level of funding recommended by Bradley (for detailed analysis, see Chart 1, below). We are concerned

that universities will not have sufficient resources to provide the quality of education and student support that will be needed to deliver on the Government’s ambitious policy objectives.

The Coalition has likewise indicated that

$11,500

Bradley $11,000

$10,500

$10,000

initiatives* get d u *excluding additional B student load & capital grants

1995 Base Value Trend wit h no

$9 ,500

changes

$9,000

$8,500

$8,000 2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

Chart 1: Real Learning and Teaching Funding per Government Supported Student Australian Universities 2004 - 2013 (June 2008 Values) NTEU ADVOCATE – SPECIAL FEDERAL ELECTION 2010 EDITION

HIGHER EDUCATION POLICY Higher Education Policy

ALP

LNP

GRN

FF

Increase funding for government supported students by 10% per full time student compared to 2007 levels. [As recommended by the Bradley Review]

✘

✘

✔

✔

Reduce reliance on performance based/specific purpose funding to protect institutional autonomy.

✔

✔

✔

✔

Minimise the negative impacts of the student demand driven model by guaranteeing each university funding for a base student load.

✘

✘

✔

✔

Maintain the real cap on HECS fees.

✔

✘

✔

✔

Maintain the current ban on full fee degrees for Australian undergraduate students.

✔

✘

✔

✔

Maintain the current restrictions on non-university providers’ eligibility to access public funding.

✔

✔

✔

✔

Clear measures to support academic workforce development.

✘

✘

✔

✔

Legally guarantee academic freedom and ensure all academic staff have the opportunity to pursue teaching, scholarship and research.

✔

✘

✔

✔

✔ ✔

✔ ✘

✔ ✔

✔ ✔

Improved levels of student income support.

Funding for independent student advocacy and representation. it is not in a position to support this commitment: Because the nation’s finances have been run into the ground by Labor and in the interests of fiscal rectitude the Coalition cannot promise to increase funding immediately by this amount.

Greens and Family First are committed to supporting the full 10% increase in funding per student as recommended by Bradley.

University independence NTEU believes that the autonomy of our universities is being compromised by increasing reliance on specific purpose or performance based funding over an extended period, and we have therefore asked for a commitment for this to be reduced.

The ALP is claiming that it has already met this commitment by noting that in 2012 only $135 million (2.5% of total learning and teaching funding) is tied to learning and teaching performance indicators. While this is true, it may somewhat understate the fact that while Mission Based Compacts will allow each university to define its own mission, they also require each university to negotiate agreed performance targets for both learning and teaching and research.

Given that Compacts will, in effect, become new funding agreements, NTEU would be both delighted (and surprised) if an institution’s performance against these indicators has no impact on future funding.

AUGUST 2010 www.nteu.org.au

The Coalition says that it is committed to reducing reliance on specific purpose funding. This is a somewhat ‘clever and tricky’ response to this question because it’s very clear from responses to other questions that this will be achieved by increasing universities’ reliance on non-government sources of income and not changing the composition of public funding per se.

Student demand NTEU has asked the parties to commit to guaranteeing each university a base student load. We are concerned that the introduction of the student demand driven model for the allocation of government supported university places will create a higher degree of uncertainty for our universities and make it difficult for some universities, especially smaller regional ones, to make investment and staffing plans.

The Greens would guarantee funding for a base student load. Family First has given a commitment to supporting such a policy.

Since neither the Coalition or the ALP would commit to this policy, both clearly believe that the ‘market-based design’ principles based on student choice are more important than providing some certainty and stability to our universities.

The Coalition is the only party that will not commit to maintaining the real cap on HECS (because of the size of the Budget deficit) or maintain the current ban on full fee paying

places for Australian undergraduate students because it believes ‘Australian students should have the same opportunities as international students to invest in their own education’.

While the Coalition claims that it cannot commit to increased public investment in higher education because of the ‘parlous state’ of Australia’s public finances, it’s clear that the thrust of its higher education funding policy will be to increase the cost of a university education for Australian students by removing the cap on HECS and reintroducing full fee places for Australian students.

Academic workforce development In terms of a commitment to introducing clear measures for academic workforce development, the ALP has noted that in addition to providing a detailed examination of the issues through its Research Workforce Strategy and other studies, it is providing universities with $2.6 billion in additional indexation funding over the next five years some of which could be used to address staffing issues.

The Coalition believes that existing arrangements are adequate to allow each university to deal with these issues.

Student income support The Greens have a very strong policy position in relation to student income support, which includes ‘expansion of the independent Youth Allowance criteria, to include students who are required to leave home (more than 90 minutes travelling time) to attend university, as well as calling for an increase in the $371.40 fortnightly rate of Youth Allowance to at least the rate of Newstart.’

Family First also believes that eligibility criteria for students from non-metropolitan areas needs to be revised. The Coalition is giving qualified support (depending on the state of public finances) but is committed to reviewing student income support if elected, to make it simpler and more equitable.

While NTEU acknowledges and supports the improvements the ALP has already introduced, by making student income support better targeted, it is worth noting this is being achieved without any real increase in total expenditure. The Coalition, however, is alone in opposing the introduction of funding ‘for independent student advocacy and representation.’ A Paul Kniest, Policy & Research Coordinator 3

INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS

HEWRRs could be resurrected PHOTO: ATOSHA MCCAW

I

t is widely acknowledged that industrial relations more than any other issue cost John Howard the 2007 election. Armed with a chance majority in the Senate from 2005, the Coalition pushed its notorious WorkChoices package through the Parliament, provoking the largest protest movement in many decades.

The features of WorkChoices which made it very unpopular were: • The virtual destruction of the Award safety net and its replacement by only 5 minimum conditions.

• The introduction of no-sign no-job individual agreements (AWAs) that undercut wages and collective conditions of employment.

• The loss of the right to challenge unfair dismissal for more than 5 million employees.

• Onerous restrictions on the right to take industrial action, including cumbersome and expensive secret ballots.

What Labor has delivered As it had promised, Labor abolished AWAs and has established new and more effective national industry Awards which are likely, in the long run, to be an effective safety net for low-paid employees not covered by Collective Agreements. Its Fair Work Act encourages collective bargaining and removes some of the unfair restrictions on what can be included in Agreements. These are significant improvements in the law – all of which were opposed by the Coalition but supported by the Greens.

However, Labor has retained the WorkChoices procedures for taking industrial action almost intact. This means Australia still has one of the most restrictive regimes for taking industrial action in the developed world, and this in turn weakens the capacity of the NTEU and other unions to effectively pursue their bargaining claims.

New HEWRRs? WorkChoices affected all industries, but two industries were singled-out for special 4

Industrial Relations

ALP

LNP

GRN

FF

Oppose the re-introduction of individual contracts.

✔ ✔ ✘ ✔

✘ ✔ ✘ ✘

✔ ✔ ✔ ✔

✘ ✔ ✘ ✔

✘

✘

✔

✔

✘ ✘

✘ ✘

✔ ✔

✘ ✘

Maintain unfair dismissal rights as per the Fair Work Act. Abolition of the ABCC. No re-introduction of HEWRRs or funding linked to workplace relations.

Expand the role of Fair Work Australia in removing discrimination in workplaces.

Abolish non-union Agreements.

Abolish requirement to have secret postal ballot for industrial action.

treatment – construction and higher education. Both had special laws passed aimed at undermining union representation and reducing employment conditions.

In the construction industry, the notorious Australian Building and Construction Commission (ABCC) was established, with special powers to compel witnesses to give secret evidence, even about what occurred at private union meetings.

In universities, the Higher Education Workplace Relations Requirements (HEWRRs) forced all universities to promote AWAs, and to remove protections from staff against unfairly being placed in fixed term or casual employment. With Labor’s repeal of the HEWRRs, most of the damage has now been undone. Nevertheless, thousands of University staff are still stuck on fixed term contracts as a direct result of the Coalition’s HEWRRs. In TAFE, the Coalition tried to introduce similar arrangements but lost office before these had any real effect.

Perhaps the most important aspect of the Coalition’s responses to the NTEU questionnaire is the refusal to rule out a new round of HEWRRs, and similar arrangements for TAFE. This position fits well with Tony Abbot’s

promises not to formally change the Fair Work Act during his first term. As the experience with the HEWRRs shows, far more damage can be done in tertiary education by means of funding conditions than by direct legislation.

NTEU members would be naïve to think that a new Coalition Government would not reintroduce a re-vamped HEWRRs.

The Promises...

Tony Abbott has emphatically stated that he ‘accepts the verdict of the Australian people’ and will not change Labor’s industrial laws.

Even taken at face value, this still leaves him much wriggle-room.

In the public sector, including universities and TAFE, much of the Coalition’s industrial agenda can be achieved through funding conditions. Moreover, there are over 100 different matters that are dealt with by Government-legislated regulation and Abbott’s promise does not extend to these.

Labor is standing on its record and has, at the time of publication, not proposed any significant changes to its Fair Work Act. continued overpage...

NTEU ADVOCATE – SPECIAL FEDERAL ELECTION 2010 EDITION

RESEARCH

Ensuring research excellence R

esearch policy is an area of great interest to many NTEU members. Over recent years academic and research staff have been subject to increased levels of scrutiny, higher workloads and increased pressure to be successful when applying for research grants. Reliance on competitive research grants has seen a substantial rise in use of short fixed term and casual forms of employment to undertake research projects. Research is an integral part of all universities core responsibilities and all academic staff should have the opportunity to pursue their research interests.

Research Policy

ALP

LNP

GRN

FF

Ensure the results of the ERA assessment exercise are not used for the distribution of research funding until it has been fully validated and has the confidence of university researchers.

✔

?

✔

✔

Ensure all academic staff have the opportunity to supervise postgraduate students and to apply for competitive research funding.

✘

✘

✔

✔

Greater funding stability to reduce reliance on casual or short term employment for research only staff.

✘

✘

✔

✔

Excellence in Research Australia NTEU asked for a commitment from the parties to ensure the Excellence in Research for Australia (ERA) system is validated and supported by researchers before being used to distribute funding.

The ALP has stated that ‘until ERA is fully developed, the current arrangements for block grant funding will be maintained, and that future arrangements will be determined in consultation with the sector.’ The Greens strongly support the need for researchers to have confidence in the ERA.

HEWRRs could be resurrected ...continued from previous page

Only the Greens have promised to support further reform to industrial relations laws, abolishing the costly ballots before industrial action is taken, ensuring that Collective Agreements can only be made with union approval, and abolishing the ABCC and all its functions. However, in the face of bipartisan opposition to these measures, it is unlikely they will be able to achieve any of these things, even with the balance of power. A Ken McAlpine, Senior Industrial Officer AUGUST 2010 www.nteu.org.au

The Coalition indicated that while it ‘supports transparent and effective evaluations mechanisms’ that have the ‘confidence of university researchers’, it would also ‘reserve the right to improve the way ERA assessments are used to allocate funding in order to minimise unintended consequences and maintain the confidence of the sector.’ It states that the Coalition would not make any changes without stakeholder ‘engagement’ – including with NTEU. Family First ‘wants to see Australian universities become the leading research hubs in the Asia-Pacific.’

NTEU members are increasingly concerned that the introduction of the ERA and Mission Based Compacts means that universities are being asked to be more selective in choosing staff they will support to undertake research.

Teaching and research Both teaching and research are critical for all universities. Policies that encourage them to become separate specialisations may ultimately undermine the international standing of our universities. Therefore we have asked for a commitment which will allow all academic staff the capacity to supervise

research students and apply for competitive research funding.

Without committing to this policy, the ALP states that it ‘is determined to boost research performance’ and ‘to providing our next generation with the best research training experience we can’. It identifies its Research Workforce Strategy as an important policy instrument to achieve these objectives.

Funding stability NTEU asked for a commitment to support greater funding stability to reduce reliance on casual or short term employment for research only staff. In response the Coalition indicated support stating that, ‘the Coalition will ensure universities have greater access to varied and sustainable revenue streams’.

Based on other responses this means increased reliance on market driven and/or private funding as opposed to public funding. Such sources of funding may well be more diverse, but NTEU is not convinced they are more stable.

Mission Based Compacts The ALP notes that Mission Based Compacts will provide some certainty as well as highlighting the more than $500 million in funding to support the indirect costs of research, as recommended by the Bradley Review.

The Greens recognise the inherent dangers to the quality of university research through an over use of casual staff. A Terri MacDonald, Policy & Research Officer

5

INDIGENOUS ISSUES

Walking in two worlds PHOTO: TRACEY JOHNS

T

he announcement of the 2010 Federal Election brings on the usual arguments and debates on critical issues such as employment, education and health care. In February 2008, former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd apologised to the Stolen Generations and committed Australia to close the gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians. Policy has been developed and money thrown around, but are we on the right path?

The opportunity to reflect upon the outcomes of these policies is welcomed; critical reflection must be undertaken to ensure we are tracking toward better outcomes for the nation, and in working to close the gap, save us making a wrong turn as a result of a faulty cultural navigation system.

Of greatest concern to me as an Aboriginal man is not necessarily who has the best platform, policy or promises, but who will actually take time to really listen and understand our aspirations. How can we truly reconcile the past so we can move forward together?

There are many roads to this destination.

The major parties commit to appropriate and genuine consultation with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, cadetships and improving educational pathways. But there are very differing approaches when it comes to increasing funding for Indigenous student income support, providing a level playing field for Indigenous employment in the higher education sector and in developing appropriate programs to tackle a range of social justice issues.

These varied approaches include qualified support for employment programs through to linking employment targets to University funding agreements, targeted funding for pathways programs, providing a range of scholarship options, changes to thresholds for ABSTUDY, greater recognition of Indigenous community life and family circumstances and linking welfare payments to school attendance for families in remote communities (see table).

The real test for the party who forms Government is not simply implementing their stated policies, but to ensure Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are consulted throughout the entire process. All too often decisions affecting Aboriginal and Torres 6

Indigenous Issues

ALP

LNP

GRN

FF

Improved and targeted Indigenous student income support and pathway programs.

✔

✔

✔

✔

Ensure appropriate and genuine consultation with Indigenous communities that will tailor education policy and outcomes that recognise the diversity of Indigenous communities across Australia.

✔

✔

✔

✔

Improved pathways model that examines educational pathways from secondary school to VET/university and then employment

✔

✔

✔

✔

Mandate Indigenous employment targets tied to funding agreements for all universities.

✘

✘

✔

✔

Overturn all aspects of the NT intervention and restore the goal of true selfdetermination for Indigenous people in the NT.

✘

✘

✔

✘

Repay ‘stolen wages’ to Indigenous workers and their families.

✔

✘

✔

?

Increase funding for a range of university Indigenous support funding and scholarships over and above the inflation rate.

✔

✘

✔

✔

Strait Islander people are made and implemented; in some cases without so much as a phone call to many of those who will bear the brunt of those decisions. One prime example of this is the former Howard Governments’ Northern Territory Emergency Intervention.

More recently, a decision made by the former Education, Employment and Workplace Relations Minister, Julia Gillard will now see Australia’s main Indigenous tertiary education provider, Batchelor Institute, restructured to become a feeder college to Charles Darwin University.

Communities that use, rely upon and understand that Batchelor Institute provides a culturally safe learning environment are now at a crossroads. Obviously no matter how much faith you place in your cultural GPS, if it doesn’t have a sound program you may end up at the wrong destination. This is why we need effective and sustainable policies that can work in both worlds.

If we are to move forward together, we all need to walk together - in both worlds. The importance of genuine consultation where both parties are treated as equal cannot be simply reduced to ticking a box on a form.

Nor can it be forgotten that we as Indigenous people always walk in two worlds and there is the expectation that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people need to continually approach debate from a non-Indigenous paradigm.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people know that if we just rely upon Government driven policy and rhetorical platitudes, the gap may never close. However, both Indigenous and non-Indigenous people must strive to walk together in order that our children have a better future. How we get there will be determined by the cultural GPS and I am not even sure it has even been switched on. A Adam Frogley, National Indigenous Coordinator NTEU ADVOCATE – SPECIAL FEDERAL ELECTION 2010 EDITION

WORK/LIFE BALANCE

Balancing work & family PHOTO: JASON FROOME

O

ne of the stated objects of Labor’s Fair Work Act is to assist employees ‘balance their work and family responsibilities by providing flexible working arrangements’. One way the Labor Government has sought to achieve this objective is through the National Employment Standards.

These are the 10 minimum workplace entitlements which set the safety net of entitlements for all Australian workers. Two of the minimum entitlements deal with work/life balance matters – the right of parents or carers of a child to request flexible working arrangements and the right to request an additional 12 months unpaid parental leave.

Employers may only refuse such requests on reasonable business grounds.

A significant weakness of the Fair Work Act is the fact that employees are unable to ask Fair Work Australia to deal with disputes that may arise with their employer regarding requests for flexible work arrangements unless the employer has agreed that the tribunal can deal with the dispute.

Both Labor and the Coalition have indicated that they will not be changing these

Pivotal time for Postgrads

T

he Council of Australian Postgraduate Associations (CAPA) believes this election represents a pivotal time for postgraduates: a vital phase in the cycle of review and reform that has characterised Australian higher education since 2007.

While postgraduates have won significant improvements under the current Government, a range of further reforms are either partially implemented or yet to be addressed. There have been 20 major public reviews and inquiries relevant to higher education and research since 2007, yielding

AUGUST 2010 www.nteu.org.au

Work / Life Balance

ALP

LNP

GRN

FF

Introduce a paid parental leave scheme that provides a minimum of six months paid leave.

✘

✔

✔

✔1

Remove prohibition on FWA dealing with disputes on family friendly flexibility.

✘

✘

✔

✔

provisions of the Act, whereas both the Greens and Family First have indicated their support for amendments to remove this restriction from the legislation. Such amendments would provide workers with genuine rights that can be enforced by the independent umpire.

The ALP scheme (coming into effect on 1 Jan 2011) provides a payment of 18 weeks at the Federal minimum wage, with no superannuation. This payment will be made where the parent has an individual income of $150,000 p/a or less. NTEU acknowledges that the ALP’s scheme represents an historic

over 300 relevant major findings and recommendations (more details can be found at www.capa.edu.au). The current Federal Government has responded to less than a third of these to date. While some reforms have already been implemented, the number of initiatives that the current Government has actually committed to is still relatively small.

Postgraduates have won some important reforms during the current Government’s term, but more needs to be done. The challenges that the next Government will face include completing reforms to scholarships and student income support, implementation of a national research workforce strategy, and ensuring quality and sustainability in higher education and research.

CAPA’s election priority policy areas are: • Completing reforms to scholarships and student income support.

• Implementation of a national ‘research

first step in the campaign to achieve universal paid parental leave for working parents.

However, the ALP’s policy is clearly inferior when compared to the policies of both the Coalition parties and the Greens who are committed to introducing a 26 week payment at full income replacement (under the Coalition this would be capped at incomes of $150,000 p.a), including superannuation.

Family First has indicated that it wants any parental leave entitlements to also be available to non-working mothers. A Michelle Rangott, Industrial Officer 1. FF will support if extended to non-working mothers

workforce strategy’ including skills and professional development opportunities to build careers of new teachers/ researchers and fitness for purpose of the Research Training Scheme.

• Moving to a ‘third phase’ of international education and research, including improved visa policies, increased international student scholarships, improved opportunities for international collaboration in research and removal of school fees for the dependants of international students/scholars.

• Costs and resources associated with study including concession travel on public transport, student housing, safety and access to childcare and resource standards and costs associated with study.

• Quality and sustainability in higher education and research. A Nigel Palmer, CAPA

7

ENVIRONMENT & SUSTAINABILITY

Climate policies going nowhere PHOTO: CHRIS ORR

W

hile the ALP’s climate change policies leave much to be desired, a Coalition Government after 21 August will mean even less action on moving towards a lower carbon future.

Neither the ALP nor the Coalition has a plan for putting a price on carbon emissions in the short term. Following its continued rejection by the Coalition in the Senate, the ALP has dropped its Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) until at least 2012. Prime Minister Julia Gillard announced on 23 July that, if re-elected, the ALP would seek to build a ‘community consensus’ through a hand-picked ‘citizens assembly’ around a market-based ETS before re-introducing it to Parliament.

In the meantime, Labor has proposed a range of energy efficiency measures, including a $5.1 billion Clean Energy Initiative, to support investments in energy efficiency and clean energy, including solar, wind, geothermal and biofuels. This includes a $1.5 billion Solar Flagships Program that will support the development of very large scale solar generation plants. It also passed a 20% renewable energy target in the last week of the previous Parliament, aiming to achieve 20% of Australia’s electricity coming from renewable resources by 2020.

The Coalition has ruled out putting a price on carbon emissions until other countries adopt one. Instead, the Coalition is propos-

Climate Change/Sustainability

ALP

LNP

GRN

FF

Reduce Australia’s greenhouse gas emissions by at least 40% on 1990 levels by 2020.

✘

✘

✔

✘

Develop a national pollution reduction scheme that does not rely primarily on market mechanisms.

✘

✘

✔

✔

Adopt policies that actively encourage the use of renewable energy sources.

✔

✔

✔

✔

ing a ‘Direct Action Plan’ to mitigate climate change, including an Emissions Reduction Fund that will provide grants to help power plants reduce their emissions.

However, as part of the $1.2 billion cuts to government programs announced by Tony Abbott so far, climate change programs will be cut by $345 million. This includes $300 million saved by abolishing Labor’s Global Carbon Capture and Storage Institute, $5 million from dropping the Green Building Fund, and $40 million from ending the program that helps small and medium businesses to improve energy and water efficiency. This is in addition to a range of other savings, bringing the total funding stripped away from tackling climate change by the Coalition to over $2 billion since the May 2010 Budget.

International Students I

n July, Tony Abbott announced that the Coalition would take ‘Real Action on Immigration’ by limiting net overseas migration to no more than 170,000 per year, down from around 300,000 in recent years. Given that certain categories of immigration, including skilled migration, will be quarantined the education sector is concerned that Coalition policy will mean a substantial reduction in the number of international student visas.

8

The Greens also rejected the Government’s ETS in the Senate, judging it as neither effective nor efficient in achieving real carbon pollution reductions. The Greens’ policy of setting a target of a 40% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions on 1990 levels by 2020 and developing a non-market based emissions trading scheme, is consistent with the policy adopted at NTEU National Council in 2009 (see Advocate vol. 16 no. 3, Nov 2009).

As a short-term compromise, the Greens have proposed an interim carbon tax to be in place until agreement can be reached about a long-term carbon pricing policy. They have promised to introduce legislation along these lines in the Senate immediately after the election, but this will almost certainly be rejected by both major parties. A Michael Evans, National Organiser

Not only does this threaten the estimated $18b in education export earnings, it also has the very real potential to undermine the financial vitality of some of our universities and other education providers such as public TAFE colleges which are becoming increasingly reliant on international student fee income.

Loss of students and income will mean job cuts. According to recently announced estimates by Universities Australia and the International Education Association of Australia, every 10% fall in the number of international students studying in Australia translates into to a loss of about 12,000 jobs for the Australian economy.

International student fee income is the second most important source of income (other than Commonwealth grants) accounting for about 15% on average for all universities. For some universities

NTEU ADVOCATE – SPECIAL FEDERAL ELECTION 2010 EDITION

HUMAN RIGHTS

Human rights a battleground H

uman rights re-emerged as a major issue in the ALP’s first term of government with the restoration of Australia’s engagement in the UN Human Rights treaty system. In April, the Government introduced Australia’s Human Rights Framework which seeks to establish a Parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights to provide greater scrutiny of legislation about human rights compliance.

The ALP and the Greens are both unequivocal about the need to legislatively enshrine academic freedom. The ALP has indicated that it intends to introduce amendments to the Higher Education Support Act 2003 (HESA) to that effect. The Greens consider the critical role of academic freedom as a principle underpinning the very function of universities. The Coalition does not support the legislative recognition of academic freedom, nor considers the significance of academic freedom as a special form of freedom of speech – ‘Australians enjoy and have always enjoyed freedom of speech, protected by parliament and the common law. We do not believe another statute is necessary to establish that.’

The ALP amended over 50 statutes and provisions that gave same-sex couples the same rights as unmarried heterosexual couples in areas such as taxation, social security and health, aged care and employment. The Greens, who in August 2009 unsuccessfully introduced the Marriage Equality Amendment Bill 2009, are the only party to support the equal and legal recognition of same-sex

Human Rights/Civil Rights

ALP

LNP

GRN

FF

Legislative recognition and protection for academic freedom.

✔ ✔ ✘

✘ ✘ ✘

✔ ✔ ✔

✔ ✘ ✘

Policies that protect the human rights of all asylum seekers and refugees including freedom from arbitrary detention whether that be in Australia or in an offshore processing centre.

✘

✘

✔

✔

Not reintroducing TPVs.

✔

✘

✔

✔

Recognition and support for same-sex civil unions.

Recognition and support for same-sex marriages.

marriages. Labor, the Coalition and Family First are opposed to same-sex marriage, although Labor supports civil unions.

Legal processes relating to the treatment of refugees and asylum seekers is one of the most heated and inflammatory issues of the 2010 Federal election. Through its 12 Point Action Plan, the Coalition is ‘determined to protect the integrity of Australia’s borders and dissuade people smugglers from plying their venal trade’. This would include the reintroduction of temporary protection visas (TPVs) and where possible to ‘turn boats back’.

After abolishing the ‘Pacific Solution’ the ALP

has adopted a tough but humane approach and continues to be opposed to the reintroduction of TPVs. It is, however, continuing discussions with East Timor about the establishment of an offshore processing centre.

In contrast, the Greens ‘are committed to a long-term, practical and humane approach to immigration that upholds our commitments under international law and rejects the failed policies of mandatory and indefinite detention, detention of children, and off-shore processing. We understand that seeking asylum is not illegal.’ A Jen Tsen Kwok, Policy & Research Officer

such as CQU, international fee income accounts for close to half of total income. In other words, some of our universities and our members’ jobs at those universities are very vulnerable to any further cuts in international student numbers.

Any policy that would result in a reduction in international student numbers studying in Australia therefore seems to be at odds with the Coalition’s stated policy of not committing to an increase in public funding of universities, but instead ensuring our universities have more diverse and sustainable funding.

NTEU is calling on Mr Abbott to either reconsider his policy position in relation to international student visas or guarantee that his Government would compensate universities and TAFEs for any loss of income as a direct result of his Real Action on Immigration policy.

AUGUST 2010 www.nteu.org.au

9

FEDERAL ELECTION 2010

Electorates in play and their local universities T

he outcome of the 2010 election may depend on the results in a handful of marginal seats. According to Antony Green, the ABC’s election analyst, there would be a change of government if Labor lost twelve seats that it actually or notionally holds as a consequence of electoral boundary changes since the 2007 election. The seats that would change with a swing in the order of 4% are shown below. Of the twelve most marginal seats that Labor needs to retain to keep control of the Treasury benches, only four have sitting members contesting this election. Five are currently held by the Coalition and there are three where current Labor members are not recontesting. employer but also because there is a much a closer relationship between the university and its local community. James Cook University campuses in Townsville and Cairns are located in the marginal Labor seats of Herbert (0.03%) and Leichardt (4.1%) respectively. The electorate of Flynn (ALP 2.2%) is home to Central Queensland University’s

3.50% 3.50% 3.80% 3.90% 2.90% 3.00%

0.50% 0.50% Newcastle 0.60% UniSA 0.90% 1.20% SCU 1.20% 1.30% 1.30% 1.50%

0.01% 0.02%

Bowman (QLD) McEwen (VIC) Hughes (NSW) La Trobe (VIC) Paterson (NSW) Sturt (SA) Ryan (QLD) Cowper (NSW) Cowan (WA) Stirling (WA) Hinkler (QLD) Boothby (SA) Fairfax (QLD) Fisher (QLD) Calare (NSW) Wright (QLD) Wentworth (NSW)

Deakin

UTAS

Macquarie

CQU

SCU

CQU

Newcastle

Leichhardt (QLD) Franklin (TAS) Dobell (NSW) Forde (QLD) Dawson (QLD) Page (NSW) Braddon (TAS) Eden-Monaro (NSW) Flynn (QLD) Longman (QLD) Bennelong (NSW) Deakin (VIC) Bass (TAS) Corangamite (VIC) Hasluck (WA) Dickson* (QLD) Macarthur* (NSW) Gilmore* (NSW) Macquarie (NSW) Swan* (WA) Solomon (NT) Robertson (NSW) Herbert* (QLD)

JCU

1%

1.00% 0.90% 0.90% 0 .80% UWS 0.50 % 0.40 % 0.30% 0.30% 0.20% CDU 0.10% Newcastle 0.03% JCU

1.40% 1.40%

2%

* Seat currently held by Coalition but notionally Labor due to redistribution.

10

LAB OR

2.60% 2.40% 2.30% 2.30% 2.20% 1.90%

3%

SWI NG T O

N ITIO L A O CO NG T I W S

3.40%

4%

4.10% 4.00% 3.90%

The list of marginal seats indicates that there are number of contests where issues related to the local university have the capacity to influence the outcome of this election. This will be more important in regional areas where the university is not only a large

(CQU’s) Gladstone campus and the electorate of Dawson (ALP 2.6%) has CQU’s Mackay campus on it southern boundary (see boxed asides, p. 11).

The electorates of Longman (ALP 1.9%), Fairfax (LIB 3.0%) and Fisher (LIB 3.5%) are all within the catchment area of the University of the Sunshine Coast. Just south of

CSU

Regional seats

Bolded = Significant university campus in seat.

NTEU ADVOCATE – SPECIAL FEDERAL ELECTION 2010 EDITION

FEDERAL ELECTION 2010

University of Newcastle

James Cook University

Central Queensland University

The University of Newcastle’s Central Coast Campus at Ourimbah is on the boundary of two of NSW’s most marginal seats: Robertson and Dobell. The Central Coast has a relatively high level of low SES families and low participation rates in higher education.

The campus also accommodates the local TAFE and Community College which all offer their distinct qualifications but share all facilities. It provides a good example of where collaboration between different sectors can offer benefits to students and the local community. NTEU fears that proposals which would allow TAFE to offer degrees could result in unhealthy and destructive competition between the sectors and undermine collaborative arrangements such as those at Ourimbah.

The seat of Herbert (ALP 0.03%) covers most of the urban area of Townsville, North Queensland, has become notionally Labor as a consequence of redistributions. Peter Lindsay (LIB) who has held the seat since 1996 is not recontesting this election.

Townsville is often said to be an ‘army city’ but it is also home of the main campus of James Cook University (JCU), the largest non-metropolitan university in Queensland. As such, JCU has a substantial effect on the region’s economic and social development and sustainability.

Labour’s candidate, Tony Mooney undertook his undergraduate education at JCU and during his term as Mayor of Townsville (1998 to 2008) supported a number of University events and initiatives, including the Discovery Rise campus redevelopment and expansion.

Greens candidate Dr Mike Rubenach spent 36 years lecturing in geology at JCU and was a long term member of NTEU until his recent retirement. He remains involved with research projects as an associate of JCU. The Liberal National Party (LNP) candidate to replace Lindsay is a newcomer to politics, local auctioneer Ewen Jones.

Family First’s candidate is aeronautical engineer Michael Punshon.

Central Queensland University (CQU), has campuses in Rockhampton, Bundaberg, Gladstone, Emerald and Mackay.

Like many other rural and regional universities, CQU is critical to the life and economy of the region, accounting directly and indirectly for around 3000 jobs and pays salaries in the excess of $160 million annually.

According to CQU’s interim compact, the university’s vision is to increase its level of investment and community engagement in satellite campuses such as Bundaberg, Gladstone and Mackay.

The aim is to create ‘fully-fledged University cities’ thus ‘increasing participation in higher education among groups which are under-represented’. In addition, CQU has announced that it intends to transform itself into Queensland’s first dual-sector university by merging with the local TAFE. Like many smaller regional universities CQU is vulnerable to relatively large fluctuations in domestic student demand which in recent years has been very sensitive to the mining boom. The introduction of student demand driven funding from 2013 may create even further volatility. CQU is also the university most reliant on international student fee income and recent declines in international student demand have created significant financial challenges.

Long standing Liberal member Fran Bailey is not recontesting the seat of McEwen (LIB 0.02%) on the Melbourne’s north east fringe which includes Swinburne University’s Lilydale campus. The seat of La Trobe centred on Fern Tree Gully is another seat where the Liberals are defending a small margin of 0.5%.

Mike Symonds who is the chair of the ALP’s caucus Education Committee holds a margin of 1.4% in the seat of Deakin which includes the suburb of Ringwood. Corangamite (ALP 0.9%) which includes Deakin University’s home campus is another marginal seat.

In Tasmania, Bass (ALP 1.0%) which covers Launceston is the tightest contest followed

by Braddon on the west coast (ALP 2.3%) and Franklin (ALP 4.0%). South Australia throws up one of the more interesting battles where the Coalition’s Education spokesman, Chris-

topher Pyne has a margin of 0.9% in the seat of Sturt. The ALP’s candidate for Sturt is Professor Rick Sarre from the University of South Australia. Rick is a long standing member of the NTEU. The suburbs of Perth, as always, include a number of marginal seats including Swan currently held by Steve Irons (LIB) (notionally ALP 0.3% because of redistributions), Hasluck (ALP 0.9%), Cowan and Stirling (both LIB 1.3%).

Another marginal seat with a significant university presence is Solomon (ALP 0.2%) which covers Darwin and hosts Charles Darwin University as well as a campus of Batchelor Institute of Indigenous Tertiary Education. A Paul Kniest, Policy & Research Coordinator

the border in NSW, the electorate of Page is held by Janelle Saffin (ALP) who is defending a 2.4% margin. Janelle has had a long term association with Southern Cross University (SCU). SCU also has a strong presence in Coffs Harbour which is the main population centre of Cowper, currently held by the Liberal Party on a thin margin of 1.2%.

The Central Coast Campus of the University of Newcastle sits on the boundary between the two highly contestable seats of Robertson (ALP 0.1%) and Dobell (ALP 3.9%).

The ALP candidate in Robertson is Deborah O’Neil, a lecturer at the University of Newcastle and who has served on the NTEU Branch Committee. Deborah is replacing Belinda Neal as the ALP candidate (see profile, p. 12).

Metro seats As one might expect there are number of close contests in the suburbs of Sydney. The seat of Macarthur (ALP 0.5%) is within the neighbourhood of University of Western Sydney’s Campbelltown campus. Hughes (LIB 0.5%) in the south west is a catchment area for both UWS and the University of Wollongong. Maxine McKew (ALP) is defending a slim margin of 1.4% after defeating John Howard to win the seat of Bennelong in 2007. Bennelong is centred around the suburb of Ryde and has Macquarie University within its boundaries.

AUGUST 2010 www.nteu.org.au

11

STUDENTS

Student priorities T

hese are the issues the National Union of Students (NUS) highlights as of importance to students in this election.

Universal Student Unionism This is the issue that brings about the highest polarisation between parties.

The Coalition remains committed to their prohibition on student services fees, despite the clear evidence that a voluntary student union model is not viable, particularly at regional and outer metropolitan campuses.

The ALP has reconfirmed it supports universities charging students compulsory fees to pay for sporting facilities, health clinics and other non-academic amenities. However, Labor’s legislation prohibits the fee being used to fund student representation and advocacy services. The Greens support student control of student affairs and independent funding of student representation.

If Labor is re-elected, NUS will be negotiating with the Greens to amend the legislation to allow for genuine student representation that is able to fearlessly pursue members’ interests.

Student Income Support Labor made a range of positive reforms that better targeted student income support to needy students although NUS is concerned about the impact on rural students. These reforms did not increase the overall allocations to student income support and it is unlikely there will be major changes until the 2012 review of student income support. However, the Greens have proposed that the Youth Allowance living allowance rates should be aligned with Newstart benefits. This would increase maximum benefits for $371 pf to $486 pf.

The Coalition have called for a narrowly targeted rural scholarship pro-

12

CANDIDATES

NTEU member candidates E

very Federal Election, numerous NTEU members (and immediate past members) run as candidates for a range of parties. As usual, we have asked each of these candidates to submit a personal profile for this Election Advocate.

NTEU does not endorse any of these members or any political party. Full versions of these profiles can be found on our Election 2010 site: www.nteu.org.au/campaigns/federal_election_2010

Deborah O’Neil Robertson (NSW) Labor

Education is Deb’s passion and her profession. She worked in the School of Education in the Faculty of Education and Arts at University of Newcastle form 2000, shifting to the University’s Central Coast campus at Ourimbah in 2005. Her teaching and research interests are: the teaching of English, sociology for educators and Values Education (VE).

Among the goals for her campaign Deb lists delivering better health services for the Central Coast including a GP Super clinic; more support for local schools, teachers and students; and the rollout of superfast broadband.

Deb is also determined not to allow a return to WorkChoices, which saw pay and conditions cut for more than one million Australians through individual contracts.

If elected, Deb is hoping her experience as an educator will allow her to be a strong voice within the Federal Caucus for her colleagues in tertiary education.

gram that would require students to return to an area of need after completing their studies.

Addressing the Student Housing Crisis Since 2004 the Coalition, Greens and ALP have supported some form of Commonwealth accommodations scholarships for targeted equity groups. Student accommodation is starting to become eligible for grants under the National Rental Affordability Scheme (NRAS). The Greens have proposed that universities developing affordable student housing plans under the Government’s Transforming Higher

Tony Hickey Sydney (NSW) Greens

Tony Hickey has worked as a casual teacher at the Centre for English Teaching at the University of Sydney since 2001, and was the staff NTEU representative from 2002 to 2004.

He is openly gay and lives in Chippendale.

Tony joined the Greens in 2001 because of the party’s strong social justice policies. ‘I felt it was the best way to react to the injustice we were seeing from the major parties. The way Labor and Liberal treat asylum seekers was, and still is, unconscionable,’ said Tony.

The Greens in Sydney are campaigning for real leadership on climate change, compassionate treatment of refugees, properly funded public services and full equality for LGBTTI people, including the right to marry the person they love.

‘Sydney is a diverse and tolerant place, and that’s why I love living here’, said Tony. ‘While the major parties are playing with prejudice and fear, the Greens are working hard to protect and promote tolerance and diversity.’

Education Agenda provide subsidised accommodation for low SES students under the NRAS, thus including university accommodation under state tenancy laws.

Fees and HECS The Coalition has confirmed it will re-introduce full fees for domestic undergraduate students. Labor and the Greens oppose this on equity grounds. A Carla Drakeford, NUS President NUS ratings of Coalition, ALP and Green higher education and climate change polices and updates on policy announcements: c www.unistudent.com.au

NTEU ADVOCATE – SPECIAL FEDERAL ELECTION 2010 EDITION

CANDIDATES

Rick Sarre

Rob Phillips

Mike Head

Rick Sarre is Professor of Law and Criminal Justice at the University of South Australia.

His teaching duties include commercial law, criminology and media law.

He has held many leadership roles within the University over the past 25 years including being a Head of School and a Dean of Teaching. He has had numerous leadership roles outside the University which are linked to his strong commitment to justice and social welfare. He has also been very active in supporting social sustainability.

Dr Rob Phillips is an Associate Professor in the Educational Development Unit at Murdoch University. He leads a research team investigating how university students learn in technology-enhanced learning environments.

He was drawn to politics by a profound dissatisfaction with the short-sighted, outof-touch performance of the two old parties.

He believes The Greens offer an alternative which can lead to a new, sustainable economy. ‘I want to contribute to a world where my children and grandchildren have a future.’

Mike Head teaches law at the University of Western Sydney. He supports the socialist alternative to the breakdown of global capitalism and its political fallout in the backroom coup carried out by Labor’s factional bosses to anoint Prime Minister Gillard.

The SEP supports a socialist program, based on the international unity of the working class against capitalist austerity and war, for genuine social equality, and the fight for a workers’ government to completely reorganise society in the interests of the majority, not the wealthy elite.

Sturt (SA) Labor

Jonathan Hallett Perth (WA) Greens Jonathan Hallett is a Research Fellow in the School of Public Health at Curtin University and lectures in health promotion.

He believes universal access to high quality education is fundamental to Australia’s prosperity, environmental sustainability, well-being and social fulfillment. Universities are places of learning and research where the needs of the whole community and the values of service to the public and scholarship should take priority over sectional and commercial interests, and academic freedom needs to be protected.

Cowan (WA) Greens

Bill Leadbetter Pearce (WA) ALP

Bill Leadbetter is a Senior Lecturer in Education at Edith Cowan University. He has previously lectured in History and Religious Studies at ECU, and in Ancient History at Macquarie.

Bill has an acute sense of history and the way in which the past shapes and influences the present. ‘This election is a clear choice between the future and the past. The conservative parties have always sought to return us to the comfortable Menzies days of whitebread middle-class Australia; days that only really existed in their minds and imaginations.’

Mike Rubenach Andrew Leigh Fraser (ACT) Labor

Andrew Leigh is a professor in the Research School of Economics at ANU. He has previously worked as associate to Justice Michael Kirby, and holds a PhD in public policy from Harvard.

Poverty and disadvantage are the focus of Andrew’s academic research. He is a big believer in the power of education to transform lives. ‘Great schools, TAFEs and universities are the foundation stones of a better Australia.’ In this election, Andrew has also been campaigning against cuts to the federal public service, and in favour of longterm investments in improving Australia’s health services.

AUGUST 2010 www.nteu.org.au

Herbert (Qld) Greens

Dr Mike Rubenach spent 36 years lecturing as a geologist at James Cook University and was a long term member of NTEU until his recent retirement. He remains with JCU as an Associate Professor involved with research projects. His campaign focus is on climate change and its potential effects on North Queensland and those living in the region.

Mike is very concerned by the misinformation and spurious arguments spread by people who deny global warming. He is also concerned with the policies of the major parties on refugees; and that today’s graduates are saddled with huge HECS debts. The Greens will abolish university fees and forgive HECS debts.

Fowler (NSW) Socialist Equality Party

Carolyn Kennett Reid (NSW) Socialist Equality Party

Carolyn Kennett teaches maths at Macquarie University and has been President of the local NTEU branch for the past four years.

The SEP unequivocally opposes Labor’s big business agenda. Universities must be fully funded public institutions, freely available to all, and run in the interests of the full intellectual and cultural development of students and staff. Such a perspective is only possible on the basis of a socialist economy, whose guiding principle is the satisfaction of human need, rather than the demands of the corporate elite.

Chris Gordon

Parramatta (NSW) Socialist Equality Party Chris Gordon is a maths lecturer at Macquarie University, and is standing to give working people a socialist alternative to the capitalist, pro-business programs of Labor, Liberal and the Greens.

The SEP’s policy is that quality, free health care, public education and child care must be provided for all. Young people have a basic right to first-class education, from kindergarten to university, as well as technical training. Student fees must be abolished, including for overseas students, and the loan debt cancelled. A See our website for full profiles 13

NATIONAL TERTIARY EDUCATION UNION – MEMBERSHIP FORM

Surname

 parT Time

 Full Time

 conTinuing/permanenT  Fixed Term conTracT DATE OF ExPIRY

WHaT iS your employmenT caTegory?

WHaT iS your employmenT Term?

➔ uSe paymenT opTion 1, 2 or 3

hRS PER WK

F (03) 9254 1915

E www.nteu.org.au

T (03) 9254 1910

E national@nteu.org.au

NTEU National Office, Po Box 1323, South Melbourne VIc 3205

Please post or fax this form to NTEU National Office

Office use only: Membership no.

You may resign by written notice to the Division or Branch Secretary. Where you cease to be eligible to become a member, resignation shall take effect on the date the notice is received or on the day specified in your notice, whichever is later.

In any other case, you must give at least two weeks notice. Members are required to pay dues and levies as set by the Union from time to time in accordance with NTEU rules. Further information on financial obligations, including a copy of the rules, is available from your Branch.

SignaTure

 general

 academic

WHaT iS your employmenT group?

➔ uSe paymenT opTion 4

rEcrUITEd BY:

‡associated bodies: NTEU (NSW); University of Queensland Academic Staff Association (Union of Employees) at University of Queensland; Union of Australian College Academics (WA Branch) Industrial Union of Workers at Edith Cowan University & Curtin University; Curtin University Staff Association (Inc.) at Curtin University; Staff Association of Edith Cowan University (Inc.) at Edith Cowan University.

daTe

general STaFF caSual

SeSSional academic

MoNTH, If kNoWN

nexT incremenT due

PlEASE NOTE OUR SPECIAl RATES FOR CASUAl/SESSIONAl STAFF.

 

If kNoWN

If kNoWN

E.g. lEcTB, HEW4

 oTHer:

annual Salary

claSSiFicaTion level STep/incremenT

poSiTion

daTe oF birTH

mail/bldg code

PlEASE USE MY hOME ADDRESS FOR All MAIlING

mobile pHone

poSTcode



 male  Female

depT/ScHool

campuS

 yeS: aT WHicH inSTiTuTion?

given nameS

FaculTy

currenT inSTiTuTion/employer

Have you previouSly been an nTeu member?

 yeS

WorK pHone INclUdE arEa codE

are you an auSTralian aboriginal or TorreS STraiT iSlander?

email addreSS

Home pHone INclUdE arEa codE

Home addreSS

TiTle

The information on this form is needed for a number of areas of NTEU’s work and will be treated as confidential.

 I am currently a member and wish to update my details

INSERT YOUR NAME

Councils and Committees. You will be notified, in writing, of any changes at least fourteen (14) days prior to their implementation. 3. For all matters relating to the Direct Debit arrangements, including deferments and alterations, you will need to send written correspondence to PO Box 1323, Sth Melbourne VIC 3205 and allow 10 days for the amendments to take effect. 4. You may stop any Debit item or cancel a DDR with NTEU at any time in writing. All correspondence is to be addressed to NTEU General Secretary, PO Box 1323, Sth Melbourne VIC

 $27.50  $55  $38.50  $77  $55  $110

annual fEE

Description of goods/services: NTEU Membership Dues.

To: NTEU, PO Box 1323, South Melbourne VIC 3205

pay by cHeque, money order or crediT card

over $20,000

$10,001 – $20,000

$10,000 and under

EstimatEd salary rangE 6 month fEE

pleaSe deTermine your Fee amounT and TicK THe appropriaTe box:

daTe

all types of accounts; and account details should be checked against a recent statement from your financial institution. If uncertain, check with your ledger financial institution before completing the DDR. 8. NTEU does not use your financial records and account details for any purpose except the collection of union dues and the information is only available to a small number of NTEU employees.

The details may be provided to your financial institution if a claim was made against that institution of an alleged incorrect or wrongful debit.

pay by cHeque, money order or crediT card

3205. 5. Should any dispute ever arise between you and the NTEU about your payments you should advise NTEU General Secretary in writing or by email in the first instance and, if necessary, NTEU will take advice from your financial institution. 6.

It is your responsibility to have sufficient clear funds to meet the costs of payment under this Agreement.

NTEU, however, does not have a policy of recovering any penalty fees from members if debit items are returned unpaid by the ledger financial institution.

7. Direct debiting through BECS is not available on

accounT number

— — — — daTe

SignaTure

expiry

$

amounT

— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —

card number

name on card

 pleaSe accepT my cHeque/money order OR crediT card:  maSTercard  viSa

 OPTION 4: CASUAL/SESSIONAL STAFF RATES

direct debit request Service agreement: 1. This is an agreement between you and NTEU. 2. Under this Agreement, you arrange to have deducted from your account, on the 15th day in each calendar month (working day), the appropriate amount of dues and levies, payable under NTEU’s Rules, to NTEU (the debit user). If you are uncertain as to when the debit will be processed please contact NTEU on (03) 9254 1910. These arrangements will not change, although the amount may vary in accordance with decisions of your elected NTEU

SignaTure

bSb number

authorise the National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU) APCA User ID No.062604 to arrange for funds to be debited from my/our account at the financial institution identified below and in accordance with the terms described in the Direct Debit Request (DDR) Service Agreement.

daTe

I hereby authorise the Merchant to debit my Card account with the amount and at intervals specified above and in the event of any change in the charges for these goods/services to alter the amount from the appropriate date in accordance with such change. This authority shall stand, in respect of the above specified Card and in respect of any Card issued to me in expiry renewal or replacement thereof, until I notify the Merchant in writing of its cancellation. Standing Authority for Recurrent Periodic Payment — — — — by Credit Card.

proceSSed on THe 15TH oF THe monTH or FolloWing WorKing day

paymenT:  monTHly  quarTerly

 HalF-yearly  annually* *5% diScounT For annual direcT debiT

accounT name

brancH name & addreSS

Financal inSTiTuTion

I

 OPTION 3: DIRECT DEBIT

IF KNOWN

or its duly authorised servants and agents to deduct from my salary by regular instalments, dues and levies (as determined from time to time by the Union), to NTEU or its authorised agents. All payments on my behalf and in accordance with this authority shall be deemed to daTe be payments by me personally. This authority shall remain in force until revoked by me in writing. I also consent to my employer supplying NTEU with updated information relating to my employment status.

STaFF payroll number

Fees for this branch = 1% of gross annual salary

Office use only: % of salary deducted

proceSSed on THe 16TH oF THe monTH or FolloWing WorKing day

———— ———— ———— ———— card Type:  maSTercard  viSa SignaTure paymenT:  monTHly  quarTerly

 HalF-yearly  annually

card number

name on card

 OPTION 2: CREDIT CARD

SignaTure

Hereby auTHoriSe INSTITUTION

oF YOUR ADDRESS

.0 i INSERT YOUR NAME

 OPTION 1: PAYROLL DEDUCTION AUTHORITY

 I want to join NTEU

I hereby apply for membership of NTEU, any Branch and any associated body‡ established at my workplace.

...and choose ONE of the following payment options

Please complete your personal details...