Equity in Higher Education
Reverend the Hon. Dr Gordon Moyes: I ask the Minister for Education and Training: Is he aware that Australian higher education remains significantly socially polarised and that disadvantaged groups, such as people from rural and regional areas, people from lower socioeconomic backgrounds and indigenous Australians, are dramatically underrepresented in our universities? In particular is he aware that on a per capita basis, only five people from lower socioeconomic backgrounds attend university for every 10 people of medium or higher socioeconomic backgrounds, and that, on a per capita basis, for every 10 urban people who attend university, approximately six rural Australians will do so, and that these imbalances have remained much the same for the past decade? Given that the Prime Minister is committed to an education revolution as an investment in Australia’s future, will he indicate what resources will be in place to ensure that universities in New South Wales are more egalitarian and that disadvantaged groups receive the benefits of higher education?
The Hon. John Della Bosca: I thank Reverend the Hon. Dr Gordon Moyes for a very good question. Perhaps we should invite him to join the Labor Party because his question hits a very important policy area that has been a preoccupation with Labor Governments since Chifley and perhaps earlier. Most people of their own general knowledge apart from anything else would be aware of the importance of the issue of those who gain access to tertiary education. It has been a longstanding matter of significant debate in education and social policy circles. I am not aware of the specific research to which the honourable member refers, but I caution him to be careful about some of the statistics and proportions he has cited because they could be a little bit deceptive.
The best thing that the New South Wales Government can do is exactly what it is doing, which is focusing on primary and secondary education as the way in which people obtain access to university education or at least arrive at a point at which they have the option of commencing a tertiary education career, if that is the path they choose. Provision of the best possible and most egalitarian primary and secondary schooling opportunities is probably the best approach that a government could take. I could wax about a whole range of initiatives in primary and secondary schooling that the honourable member has heard me talk about previously, such as Reading Recovery initiatives to a whole range of initiatives that assist disadvantaged schools and are focused on assisting people from various subgroups and categories he has described, because that is where a lot of government resources need to be concentrated. More is being done.
Work is under way between the Department of Education and Training and the university sector to examine various programs that broaden the relationship between the secondary schooling sector and the tertiary sector, particularly the university sector. I am aware that universities offer a very wide range of programs—even the so-called sandstone universities—to achieve greater equity in providing access and a gateway to people from lower socioeconomic backgrounds, or for people who might require special support in obtaining a university career or the option of having one. I understand from some research I have seen, although I cannot take it straight out of my files now, that people who receive that type of support ultimately have quite successful academic careers. As a general rule they are often more successful than are some people from a more privileged education or social background who might have achieved higher university admission indexes [UAIs] or who have other factors that might enable them to achieve entry to a tertiary educational institution.
I state very clearly in reply to the honourable member that our efforts will be focused on liaison with the university sector, and we will work hard to make sure that the basic opportunities in secondary education are of a quality and standard of equity that is as high as possible. We will continue to work with universities when that is appropriate and when universities accept State Government intervention. I add that only a couple of weeks ago I met with the university vice-chancellors who are very anxious to work with the Department of Education and Training on equity and access programs. Over the next few months there will be more announcements that will no doubt please the honourable member.
