Mr TOYNE - 2000-08-17
NTU is struggling. Some students cannot do the subjects they were told they could enrol in and their only option is to study online. Some students get their results too late to sit their supplementaries. Lecturers are being asked to teach in areas they know nothing about and morale is at an all-time low. The government’s mates in Canberra are directly responsible for this mess that is engulfing our university by continually attacking its funding base. What has the minister done to stand up for our university against his mates in Canberra and what will he do to repair the damage they have caused?
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, what I will not do is accept at face value a litany of complaints read out by the member for Stuart. We know their form. They tell fibs.
Mr STIRLING: A point of order, Mr Speaker! That is unparliamentary.
Mr SPEAKER: Please withdraw the comment.
Mr LUGG: I withdraw.
Yes, there are problems at the university, particularly in the higher education area. I have never made any secret of that. We are trying to work around them. There have been a number of reviews out there, and the university ...
Mr Toyne: ERCs? They’re short of cash.
Mr LUGG: Do you want the answer? I would love the federal government to put more money into our university ...
Ms Martin: What have you done about it?
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mr LUGG: You really are a piece of work, aren’t you? What I have done about it is lobby Canberra. In fact, I made a special trip down there. It was the second of two trips I have made. I took the Vice-Chancellor of the university with me. We have been making a very good case for the Territory. There has also been lobbying from our federal member, Senator Grant Tambling, stunned silence from the House of Reps and no help from Senator Crossin. There is a review going on and they are coming up here in September to have another look at the university. We are hopeful of a good result from that.
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, what I will not do is accept at face value a litany of complaints read out by the member for Stuart. We know their form. They tell fibs.
Mr STIRLING: A point of order, Mr Speaker! That is unparliamentary.
Mr SPEAKER: Please withdraw the comment.
Mr LUGG: I withdraw.
Yes, there are problems at the university, particularly in the higher education area. I have never made any secret of that. We are trying to work around them. There have been a number of reviews out there, and the university ...
Mr Toyne: ERCs? They’re short of cash.
Mr LUGG: Do you want the answer? I would love the federal government to put more money into our university ...
Ms Martin: What have you done about it?
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mr LUGG: You really are a piece of work, aren’t you? What I have done about it is lobby Canberra. In fact, I made a special trip down there. It was the second of two trips I have made. I took the Vice-Chancellor of the university with me. We have been making a very good case for the Territory. There has also been lobbying from our federal member, Senator Grant Tambling, stunned silence from the House of Reps and no help from Senator Crossin. There is a review going on and they are coming up here in September to have another look at the university. We are hopeful of a good result from that.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016