Parmas fight fee deregulation

Dozens of students gathered outside Melbourne University’s union house on Thursday (July 31) to urge the Palmer United Party to oppose university fee deregulation in the Senate.

University of Melbourne Student Union (MSU) education officer Annalivia Carli Hannan said at the event – dubbed “Parmas for Palmer” – that she wanted party leader Clive Palmer to stand up for students.

“Our message to (Clive) Palmer is that students really care about their education and that we see him as a really important figure who can assist us,” she said.

The rally, organised by the MSU, came just days after the Group of Eight Universities Chair Ian Young told the National Press Club it would be a “great tragedy” if parliament blocked the Coalition government’s plan to deregulate university fees from 2016.

While Professor Young urged senators to “give universities the freedom to be brilliant”, Ms Carli Hannan said fee deregulation was a clear attack on students.

Ms Carli Hannan said she was concerned not only that HECS would become “really” expensive, but that deregulation could lead to the requirement that fees be paid upfront.

“[This would mean] students who don’t have the money won’t be able to attend university,” she said.

With Labor and the Greens firmly opposed to fee deregulation, the Palmer United Party senators and other cross-benchers will play an important role in determining the fate of the legislation in the upper house.

A spokesperson for the Palmer United Party told City Journal they will oppose the deregulation of university fees in the Senate.

Although happy with Mr Palmer’s current position, Ms Carli Hannan admits negotiations are continuing and such a promise “probably isn’t worth anything”.

“That’s why we will be campaigning to the day of the vote.”

A spokesperson for Education Minister Christopher Pyne said the government planned to introduce the legislation into the Senate in the spring sitting, some time between late August and December.