Channel Ten’s Indian giving means more or less Hamish and Andy?
Universities and pork: Has the Coalition played favourites?
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Further analysis into how the Department of Education, Science and Training (DEST) has directed “Transition Funds” to key marginal and Coalition held seats is either mere coincidence or a calculated pork-barrelling exercise. As Crikey reported on Friday a draft report commissioned by Australian University Sport and the Australasian Campus Managers Association found that “for the federal electorates which received funding under this program the campuses in coalition held seats received in total more than twice the funding… compared to the campuses in opposition held seats”. Since the introduction of Voluntary Student Unionism, the Federal Government has found itself in a surreal situation whereby they are now footing the bill for sports orientated facilities such as swimming pools, gymnasiums and even outstanding loan payments. To date this now totals nearly $86 million with no guarantee of future maintenance. For the not-so-sports orientated student the below figures will be a revealing example of what is valued by the Federal Government alongside education. Previously, the $160 million collected as Student Activities fees would allow the funding of not only sports, but cultural activities as well as basic services such as counselling and child-care. I have broken up the figures in funding between Key/Marginal seats as recommended on Antony Green’s ABC Election Guide, safe Coalition seats and safe ALP seats. There are some discrepancies due to some universities having campuses in differing electorates. In those situations I have tried to equally distribute them between the ALP and Coalition. With only a further $10 million — or less — to be allocated in Round Three, it leaves very little hope for any other universities who are now suffering the real impacts of Voluntary Student Unionism the hope of assistance. Many universities — or campuses at least — seem to be missing from this list. Sports and cultural activities on campus could very possibly become a misty eyed memory of those who went before the introduction of the bill. Key or Marginal Seats
Charles Sturt University – Bathurst campus Southern Cross University – Lismore Campus University of New England University of Western Sydney - Penrith University of Melbourne – mainly Creswick campus University of Ballarat James Cook University – Townsville campus James Cook University University of Southern Queensland Griffith University Central Queensland University – Mainly Rockhampton campus The University of Queensland Queensland University of Technology Flinders University Charles Darwin University University of Tasmania Safe Coalition Seats TOTAL FUNDING: $15,264,000 University of the Sunshine Coast – Sippy Downs campus Charles Sturt University - Dubbo campus Charles Sturt University -Orange campus Southern Cross University – Coffs Harbour campus University of Western Sydney – Hawkesbury & Campbelltown campus Deakin University - Warrnambool campus Monash University - Gippsland Campus Edith Cowan University University of South Australia - Whyalla campus Curtin University of Technology University of Notre Dame Safe ALP Seats TOTAL FUNDING: $14,970,385 University of Newcastle University of Wollongong La Trobe University - Bundoora & Wodonga campus RMIT Victoria University - St Albans campus |
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One Comment
This article seems to overlook the fact that Universities tend to be situated in electorates with higher land values (ie more affluent residents and therefore presumably more likely to vote LIB). Also The U of Qld main campus is in Ryan not Blair