Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said it would be “only fair” to raise university fees for Australians. (Credits: Newshub)
Oz Kiwi opinion
We respect that New Zealand cannot simply afford to offer all Australians free or highly subsidised access to New Zealand universities, when Australia refuses to support NZ citizen students.
Ending the free flow of students between the two countries would be very unfortunate, harming the intellectual lives of both countries. However, it is the inevitable result of the shortsighted policies that the Turnbull Government seek to implement.
If it comes to that, we would urge the New Zealand Government to take a reasonable response. While it may be reasonable to place limits on the ability of Australians with no prior connection to NZ to fly in and receive a subsidised education, targetting Australians who have already settled in NZ (or do so in future) would be counterproductive.
Australians who have made their lives in NZ should not be used as some sort of bargaining chip.
Thankfully, it is likely Ms Ardern will never need to seriously consider introducing such a response. The fee increases have failed to pass the Senate and there is little chance that the Turnbull will ever be able to put them into effect.
‘Only fair’ to raise fees for Australian students – Ardern
05 November 2017
Newshub staff
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern hit back on the issue of trans-Tasman tertiary education on her visit to Australia on Sunday, saying that Australia “would absolutely understand if we responded” to an unfair situation.
Australia Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and his government have been accused of stripping away the rights of Kiwis studying in Australia after university fees tripled for New Zealand citizens
Ms Ardern raised the issue with Mr Turnbull as part of the Labour Government’s “expansive” plan to make tertiary study more accessible, including a promise for three years of free university fees.
She said it would be “only fair” to raise fees for Australian students to avoid an “inequitable” situation.
“Our view that we maintain is if we see a diminishing of access and rights through our students in tertiary education, we would make sure that we didn’t have an uneven access to tertiary education in New Zealand, particularly given the generous policy we’re about to implement.”
On Sunday, the two Prime Ministers also addressed New Zealand’s offer to take 150 asylum seekers and refugees from Australian offshore detention centres. Ms Ardern said the offer was “still on the table”.
But Mr Turnbull told media he would not be taking up New Zealand’s offer “at this time” because of ongoing negotiations with the United States. Ms Ardern said she understood Mr Turnbull’s prioritisation for the US deal to take 1,250 refugees, as it would “substantially resolve the situation”.
More than 600 refugees have barricaded themselves in the Manus Island detention centre, which closed on Tuesday.
Ms Ardern called Australia’s refugee crisis an “acute situation”.
“I think everyone would want to see there be resolution, that there be resettlement for those that have been deemed to be genuine refugees.”
[Read the News Hub article].
