ABC News | 28 October 2014
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Clive Palmer has declared “bye bye” to the Federal Government’s university overhaul, saying his party will vote against the measures.
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In the May budget, the Government announced it would cut funding for courses by 20 per cent and allow universities to charge their own fees.
But Labor and the Greens are against the change, leaving Education Minister Christopher Pyne to negotiate with the Senate crossbench.
The legislation is set for debate in the Senate tomorrow, but Mr Palmer, whose Palmer United Party holds three balance of power seats, said his senators would be voting against it.
“Our three senators will, that’s for sure, and I understand [Victorian Motoring Enthusiast Party Senator] Ricky Muir will as well, that’s his position,” he told Triple J’s Hack program.
“It’s bye bye for the education retrospective refit that they’re trying to do.
“This is 1950 Liberal Party policy, going back to the Commonwealth scholarships.”
Yesterday Mr Palmer had indicated he was open to negotiations, if more free scholarships were available.
But this afternoon Mr Palmer he advised students to write to Education Minister Christopher Pyne and “tell him he’s a mongrel”.
He said he would stick by PUP policy that university education should be free.
“We want to go back to freedom for our students so that they can develop and flower and bloom and be real value providers and leaders for Australia,” he said.
The PUP leader said he last spoke to Mr Pyne a couple of months ago.
A spokesman for Mr Pyne earlier told the ABC that a viable higher education system was at stake, and the Government would press ahead with discussions.
