Page 351 - Week 03 - Thursday, 1 June 1989
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articles by Professor Ian Ross, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor of the ANU, have described. In these circumstances the territorial parliament should not take any precipitate action which will disadvantage the access of ACT students to higher education in the Territory.
To oppose the amalgamation without regard for the consequences is not only a dereliction of our duty as elected representatives but also dangerous to the well-being of our constituents, particularly children and young people who are still at school. This proposed select committee would advise the parliament on the options for the future organisation of higher education in the ACT and would give this question the serious attention that it deserves. The committee should actively seek to identify the ACT interests that should be met by higher education institutions located in the Territory.
We must not rule out the fact that such interests might be best met by some form of amalgamation of the ANU, the CCAE and CITA, but other options would also be considered. The timing is important. Members will note from the motion that the committee would be charged with the responsibility of completing its deliberations by 27 July. That is providing a fairly tight time frame but it would enable this parliament to indicate its views on the matter by the start of the budget session of the Commonwealth Parliament.
I understand that the Commonwealth Minister for Employment, Education and Training is expected to make a statement around mid-June on higher education amalgamations across Australia and on some resource aspects of the new policy. This follows the Commonwealth's consideration of responses to the report of a task force which reviewed the progress of amalgamations. That task force report was published in April of this year and the members were Dr G.A. Ramsey, the Chairman of the Higher Education Council; P.W. Hickey, Deputy Secretary to the Department of Employment, Education and Training; D.R. Linke, Councillor on the National Board of Employment, Education and Training; and I.W. Chubb, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor of the University of Wollongong.
That is a review of the progress of amalgamations around Australia. It highlights some important points as far as the ACT is concerned. I briefly draw members' attention to those. No doubt the proposed committee would examine this document in some detail. The task force supports the proposed consolidation and recommends, firstly, that the Commonwealth Government proceed with the draft legislation to establish the new university, and, secondly, that the amount set out in table 5.8 of the report be provided to support the amalgamation and to underpin the growth in assistance, so there is a funding element.
The following paragraph is important:
If the relevant legislation is not passed it will be necessary for the funding proposals already scheduled
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