Vic: Democrats call on opposition to show education policies

AAP General News (Australia)
04-22-2001
Vic: Democrats call on opposition to show education policies

MELBOURNE, April 22 AAP - The Australian Democrats today called on the Federal Opposition
to reveal the details of its education policies.

Democrats leader, Senator Natasha Stott Despoja, made the call as her party's weekend-long
national executive meeting wound up in Melbourne.

She said the Democrats were "in election mode" and had used the meeting to decide on
key policy platforms such as education and the environment.

"We believe that up-front, full-cost undergraduate fees should be abolished," Senator
Stott Despoja told reporters.

"Now it's up to the Labor Party to tell us what their strategy is for higher education
and education generally - especially when they keep touting the rhetoric of a knowledge
nation, but we've seen no matching commitment in the form of funds or resources."

"The Democrats maintain our position that education should be completely GST-free,
but also we're the only party that has long fought for publicly-funded and accessible
education at all levels.

"We'll be looking to see fees and charges eradicated where they can be at a primary,
secondary and higher education level."

The Democrats were calling for changes to the threshold for repayment of Higher Education
Contribution Scheme debt - which was currently below average weekly earnings, she said.

The national executive had also expressed its gratitude to former leader Meg Lees,
Senator Stott Despoja said.

"It's also expressed its unity and its support for myself as the new leader and Senator
Aden Ridgeway as my deputy."

AAP imc/cjh/de

KEYWORD: DEMOCRATS EDUCATION

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