2024-08-27
Senator Mehreen Faruqi, Australian Greens Deputy Leader and spokesperson for Higher Education has responded to Labor’s announcement that international student commencements will be capped at 270,000 in 2025.
Lines attributable to Senator Mehreen Faruqi:
“Today is a bad day for university independence, student choice and, of course, for international students wishing to study in Australia.
“Labor and Minister Clare have arrogantly ignored the near unanimous opposition from the higher education sector and are charging ahead with this terrible policy.
“The weak Albanese government is playing right into the fear mongering, dog whistling, racist agenda of the Coalition and putting migrants and international students in the firing line. It is disgraceful.
“If Minister Clare wants to do something about our universities, how about fully funding them, wiping student debt and dumping the disastrous job-ready graduates policy.
“After almost a decade of Coalition attacks, universities still can’t get a break. Labor has proven to be a woeful disappointment.
“The Government needs to stop micromanaging universities and start funding them properly.”