Page 973 - Week 03 - Thursday, 3 April 2008
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I refer also to a review of the university’s courses and disciplines, with a view to new courses and educational approaches commencing on 1 January 2009; a quality self-review in preparation for the cyclical audit of the university by the Australian Universities Quality Agency in 2008; and review of the university’s systems, processes and procurement, leading to a reform grant which will partly be funded by a commonwealth government grant under the workplace productivity program of $4.7 million over three years. This grant, the largest received by any university in the round of funding, demonstrates that the commonwealth government shares our confidence in the new leadership at the University of Canberra. Other reforms of 2007 include tendering of the university’s internal audit services and tendering for the management of most of the university’s existing student residences and the construction in 2008-09 of new residences comprising over 500 beds.
In February the university council approved a 2008 budget which projects a deficit of just under $10.5 million—about one-third less than the 2007 deficit. First-semester student census data is encouraging—about three per cent up on budget. International students studying on campus are up 13 per cent on budget. New academic programs are coming online. There is the new course in building and construction management which the ACT government, in our last budget, was pleased, in conjunction with Hindmarsh most particularly, to fund. Now, within one year, it is the second most popular course at the University of Canberra—a sign of the confidence of the private sector and major Canberra corporate citizens such as Hindmarsh in the University of Canberra. In 2009 there will be new courses in urban planning, cultural heritage and information studies.
The future for the University of Canberra is bright. I urge everyone in this place to see the positive and to resist the temptation to play some of the games we have seen over the last couple of days in relation to the University of Canberra. This university is our university and it has a great future. I admire the energy of and direction in which Professor Parker and his council have taken the University of Canberra. I believe they have a new and expansive vision that we should all support. I do not believe that the media generated by Mr Mulcahy over the last couple of days is edifying, helpful or expresses the degree of confidence that we should show in the University of Canberra and the degree of confidence that the—
Mr Mulcahy: Why didn’t you report to us on this? Why did it take me to make you do it?
MR STANHOPE: Mr Mulcahy thinks that he has revealed some deep, dark secret. I believe this was reported a couple of months ago in the Canberra Times. I thought it was made very public at the time that Professor Parker announced the very significant—
Mr Seselja: I think it was in August.
MR STANHOPE: Yes, in August. There is no deep, dark secret here that was being withheld or that needed to be revealed. Professor Parker has been more than open regarding the direction he proposed to take in relation to the university. The University of Canberra is a great university. It has issues. It has a new leader who has
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