SPEECH BY THE PRIME MINISTER
THE HON. E. G. WHITLAM,
FOR THE OPENING OF THE
TASMANIAN COLLEGE OF ADVANCED EDUCATION1
HOBART, SUNDAY 18 NOVEMBER, 1973
I MUST CONFESS THAT IT IS A NOVEL EXPERIENCE FOR
ME TO BE INVITED TO OPEN AN INSTITUTION THAT HAS BEEN IN
EXISTENCE FOR FIVE YEARS. ICOMMEND YOUR PATIENCE AND
FORESIGHT IN WAITING SO LONG FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY.
NATURALLY I WAS DELIGHTED TO ACCEPT YOUR INVITATION
BECAUSE I KNOW THAT THIS COLLEGE, FORMALLY ESTABLISHED
IN 1968, IS AMONG THE MOST PROGRESSIVE AND COMPREHENSIVE
INSTITUTIONS OF ITS KIND IN AUSTRALIA. THE ADVANCED
EDUCATION ACT OF 1968, BY WHICH THE COLLEGE WAS ESTABLISHED1
WAS AN IMPORTANT AND FAR-SIGHTED STATUTE. IT CREATED A
COUNCIL OF ADVANCED EDUCATION IN TASMANIA WHICH ADMINISTERS
NOT ONLY THIS COLLEGE BUT THE WHOLE FIELD OF ADVANCED
EDUCATION IN THIS STATE. i e / 2
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THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES OF THE COUNCIL, SET
FORTH IN YOUR HANDBOOK, ARE CLEARLY ATTUNED TO SOCIAL
AND ECONOMIC NEEDS AND THE ASPIRATIONS OF A GROWING
AND DYNAMIC COMMUNITY, I CONGRATULATE ALL THOSE WHO
HAVE WORKED TO ESTABLISH THIt COLLEGE AND LAID DOWN THE
PRACTICAL AND ENLIGHTENED PRINCIPLES ON. WHICH IT IS
CONDUCTED, I DON'T THINK THERE CAN BE ANY DOUBT OF THE
AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT'S WHOLEHEARTED COMMITMENT TO EDUCATION,
THE STRENGTH OF THAT COMMITMENT AND OUR READINESS TO
DISCHARGE IT HAVE BEEN DEMONSTRATED OVER AND OVER AGAIN,
WITHIN A FEW WEEKS OF TAKING OFFICE WE SET UP THE INTERIM
COMMITTEE FOR THE AUSTRALIAN SCHOOLS COMMISSION; WITHIN A
FEW MONTHS OF ITS APPOINTMENT THE COMMITTEE PRESENTED ITS
HISTORIC REPORT; WITHIN THREE MONTHS OF RECEIVING THAT
REPORT THE AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT, IN ' ITS FIRST BUDGET,
PROVIDED AN ADDITIONAL SUM OF $ 404 MILLION FOR EDUCATION IN
1973-74. THAT WAS AN INCREASE OF 92% ON LAST YEAR, THE
GREATEST SINGLE UPGRADING OF EDUCATIONAL EXPENDITURES IN
OUR HISTORY, THUS WE HAVE HONOURED THE PROMISE IN MY
POLICY SPEECH A YEAR AGO THAT EDUCATION WOULD BE THE MOST
RAPIDLY GROWING SECTOR OF PUBLIC SPENDING UNDER A LABOR
GOVERNMENT,
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I HOPE I WILL NOT BE ACCUSED OF UNDUE COMPLACENCY OR
SELF-SATISFACTION IF I SAY THIS: WHATEVER ELSE MY
GOVERNMENT MAY ACHIEVE IN ITS TERM OF OFFICE, WE HAVE
MANAGED IN LESS THAN A YEAR TO SET A NEW COURSE FOR
EDUCATION IN THIS COUNTRY AND. NEW STANDARDS FOR OUR
CHILDREN'S FUTURE. THAT COURSE WILL NEVER BE REVERSED,
THOSE STANDARDS WILL NEVER BE DOWNGRADED,
THE GREAT THRUST OF OUR REFORMS SO FARHAS BEEN IN
SECONDARY EDUCATION NOT BECAUSE WE REGARD TERTIARY-EDUCATION
AS ANY LESS IMPORTANT, BUT BECAUSE PRIMARY AND SECONDARY
SCHOOLING HAVE BEEN THE AREAS OF GREATEST NEED, OF MOST
PRESSING INADEQUACY AND IMPOVERISHMENT, So LET ME
REASSURE YOU FIRST ON THIS POINT: TERTIARY EDUCATION, BOTH
IN UNIVERSITIES AND INSTITUTIONS LIKE YOURS, RANKS AS HIGH
IN OUR PLANS AND AMBITIONS AS EDUCATION OF ANY OTHER KIND,
IT IS FUNDAMENTAL TO OUR PHILOSOPHY THAT THE WHOLE PROCESS
OF EDUCATION SHOULD FORM AN UNBROKEN AND EVOLVING CONTINUUM
OF INSTRUCTION AND CULTIVATION, IN WHICH ALL CHILDREN
INDEED ALL PEOPLE HAVE A FULL AND EQUAL OPPORTUNITY TO
PARTICIPATE AT EVERY STAGE,
HAVING SAID THAT, LET ME MAKE ONE OTHER BROAD POINT
ABOUT THIS PRINCIPLE OF EQUAL OPPORTUNITY, IT IS FUNDAMENTAL
TO WHAT COLLEGES LIKE YOURS ARE ALL ABOUT, . WE BELIEVE IN WHAT
OUR OPPONENTOSP POLLIINKKEEEN TTTSOO CCAALLLL I'FORRUEEREE DDOOMM OOFF CCHHOOIICCEEI', s ,/ 4
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THAT FREEDOM, HOWEVER, MEANS SOMETHING QUITE DIFFERENT.
FOR US FROM WHAT IT MEANS FOR THEM., FOR US, FOR THE
AuSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, FREEDOM OF CHOICE MEANS THE
FREEDOM TO CHOOSE. BETWEEN METHODS AND CnIjiRSFS AND
TYPES OF EDUCATION.: IT DOESNOT MEAN A CHOICE BETWEEN
STANDARDS OR DEGREES OF EXCELLENCE BETWEEN A GOOD
EDUCATION OR A BAD ONE, BETWEEN AN EXPENSIVE EDUCATION OR
A POOR ONE. IT IS SOMETIMES SAID OF SOCIALISTS THAT WE
WANT EVERYONE TO HAVE A UNIVERSITY EDUCATION. THAT WOULD
BE AS SENSIBLE AS SUGGESTING THAT EVERY UNIVERSITY STUDENT
SHOULDSTUDY ECONOMICS. THE WHOLE POINT-OF OUR APPROACH
TO ADVANCED EDUCATION IS THAT A PLURALIST SOCIETY DEMANDS
A PLURALIST CONCEPTION OF EDUCATION. IT DEMANDS DIVERSITY.
YOU WILL REMEMBER THE INTELLECTUAL CONCE. IT PREVAILING
IN VICTORIAN ENGLAND AND IT PERSISTED WITH SURPRISING
RESILIENCE UNTIL QUITE RECENTLY THAT THERE WAS SOMETHING
INHERENTLY SUPERIOR' IN AN EDUCATION IN THE HUMANE ARTS, IN
THE CLASSICAL DISCIPLINES AS DISTINCT FROM THE. PHYSICAL
SCIENCES. AGAIN, A FEW YEARS AGO, THERE WAS'A QUITE FATUOUS
AND SNOBBISH ARGUMENT IN THIS COUNTRY ABOUT THE PROPRIETY OF
COLLEGES OF ADVANCED EDUCATION AWARDING DEGREES. I HOPE WE
HAVE; HEARD THE END OF SUCH ARGUMENTS. I HOPE IT WILL NEVER
AGAIN BE SUGGESTED THAT ONE KIND OF SECONDARY SCHOOL IS
SUPERIOR TO ANOTHER, OR THAT A UNIVERSITY EDUCATION IS MORE
DESIRABLE THAN ONE PROVIDED BY A COLLEGE, THE" IMPORTANT
REQUIREMENT IS THAT THE SAME STANDARDS OF EXCELLENCE, OF
DEDICATION, OF MATERIAL ENDOWMENT, OF TEACHING SKILLS MUST
APPLY IN WHATEVER INSTITUTION AN INDIVIDUAL CHOOSES.
I AM INDEBTED ONCE AGAIN TO PROFESSOR KARMELo
THE CHAIRMAN OF THE AUSTRALIAN UNIVERSITIES COMMISSION
WHOSE REPORT I HAVE MENTIONED THIS AFTERNOON, FOR A
QUOTATION FROM HIS FRANK TATE MEMORIAL LECTURE DELIVERED
LAST WEEK AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MELBOURNE, PROFESSOR KARMEL
SAID THIS AND HE WAS SPEAKING OF THE COURSE THAT TERTIARY
EDUCATION SHOULD TAKE
" ONE WILL, GENERALLY SPEAKING, AIM TOWARDS
RODUCING A CONTINUUM OF EDUCATION OPPORTUNI'TIES,
IN DIVERSE INSTITUTIONS, OFFERING DIVERSE COURSES,
USING DIVERSE MODES OF LEARNING; AND NO DOUBT
WE WILL ATTACH DIVERSE' VALUES TO THEM...
ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE ( WILL STILL) BE IMPORTANT
FOR UNIVERSITIES AND FOR COLLEGES AND WILL SEPARATE
THEM FROM OTHER INSTITUTIONS, BUT IT DOESN'T
MEAN THAT THERE WON'T BE OTHER FORMS OF INSTITUTIONS
THAT MIGHT EMPHASISE OTHER THINGS AND MIGHT REGARD
UNIVERSITIES AS MORE BOUND UP WITH LIFE EXPERIENCES
THAN WITH LEARNING IN THE TRADITIONAL SENSE.,"
I HAVE NO DOUBT THAT COLLEGES OF ADVANCED EDUCATION HELP
PROVIDE THIS ESSENTIAL ELEMENT OF DIVERSITY IN OUR EDUCATIONAL
SYSTEM. BUT THEY DO MORE THAN THAT: THEY MAKE THE WHOLE
PROCESS OF ACCESS TO TERTIARY EDUCATION MORE JUST AND EQUITABLE.
IF WE LOOK BACK ON THE LONG YEARS OF RULE BY LIBERAL-COUNTRY
PARTY GOVERNMENTS, NO ONE WILL DISPUTE THAT UNDER OUR
PREDECESSORS MORE AND MORE YOUNG PEOPLE WERE ADMITTED TO
UNIVERSITIES.
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YET IT WAS ONLY IN THE EARLY DAYS OF WIDESPREAD COMMONWEALTH
SCHOLARSHIPS THAT THIS GREATER ACCESS TO TERTIARY EDUCATION
WAS BASED FAIRLY ON CONSIDERATIONS OF ACADEMIC MERIT ALONE,
AS FEES ROSE AND THE SCHOLARSHIP SCHEME CONTRACTED, A
UNIVERSITY EDUCATION DEPENDED MORE AND MORE ON THE ABILITY
TO PAY FOR IT. ISUGGEST THERE IS A SIMPLE WAY TO TEST
WHETHER GENUINE EQUALITY OF OPPORTUNITY. EXISTS, WE SHOULD
LOOK TO SEE WHETHER THOSE GOING ON TO HIGHER EDUCATION ARE
DRAWN FROM ALL GROUPS OF THE POPULATION IN THE SAME PROPORTION
AS EACH GROUP IS REPRESENTED IN THE POPULATION.
THE KARMEL REPORT HAS CLEARLY SHOWN THAT IN NO COUNTRY
HAS THIS IN FACT HAPPENED. WE ARE NOT ALONE IN THE SOCIALLY
DISCRIMINATING NATURE OF OUR EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM. MANY
AUSTRALIAN STUDIES HAVE ILLUSTRATED THE GENERAL EXPERIENCE.
A TYPICAL SURVEY OF STUDENTS ENTERING FOUR PROFESSIONAL
FACULTIES IN six AUSTRALIAN UNIVERSITIES IN 1965 AND 1967
SHOWED THAT NEARLY HALF THE STUDENTS ENTERING HIGHER EDUCATION
WERE THE CHILDREN OF PROFESSIONAL AND MANAGERIAL FATHERS, WHO
REPPFSENTEI 17.5% OF THE POPULATION IN THE AGE GROUP LIKELY TO
BE FATHERS. INDUSTRIAL WORKERS REPRESENTED NEARLY 60% OF THE
POPULATION, BUT THEIR CHILDREN ACCOUNTED FOR ONLY 22.6% OF
STUDENTS ENTERING THE FOUR FACULTIES. A STUDY OF STUDENTS
ENTERING SCIENCE COURSES AT UNIVERSITIES AND DIPLOMA COURSES
IN APPLIED SCIENCES AT COLLEGES OF ADVANCED EDUCATION IN
AUSTRALIA IN 1969 SHOWED THAT 64% HAD FATHERS IN4 PROFESSIONAL,
MANAGERIAL OR FARM-OWNING OCCUPATIONS, ALTHOUGH THIS CATEGORY
ACCOUNTED FOR 25% OF THE MALE POPULATION; 20.2% OF THE STUDENTS
HAD FATHERS IN MANUAL OCCUPATIONS, ALTHOUGH SUCH WORKERS
ACCOUNTED FOR 59% OF THE MALE POPULATION. o o m 1
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PROFESSOR KARMEL' S COMMITTEE CONCLUDED: " AMONG TERTIARY
STUDENTS OF ALL KINDS, THE CHILDREN OF MANUAL W4ORKERS
ARE UNDER-REPRESENTED AND THOSE OF HIGHER STATUS FAMILIES
OVER-REPRESENTED, TO THE EXTENT THAT HIGHER EDUCATION
IS FINANCED FROM TAXES IT HAS, THUS A SOMEWHAT REGRESSIVE
EFFECT, POORER PEOPLE CONTRIBUTING TO THE COST OF EDUCATION
OF A GROUP IN WHICH THE CHILDREN OF RICHER PARENTS PREDOMINATE
AND FROM WHICH RECIPIENTS CAN EXPECT TO DRAW HIGHER THAN
AVERAGE INCOMES. IDON'T WANT IT TO BE THOUGHT FOR A MINUTE THAT WE
SEE COLLEGES AS THE PRIME RECEPTACLES FOR POORER OR LESS
AMBITIOUS STUDENTS, WHILE UNIVERSITIES CONTINUE TO CATER
FOR THE WEL. L-TO-DO. OUR PURPOSE IS TO SEE THAT ALL
INSTITUTIONS OF ADVANCED EDUCATION ARE OPEN TO THE WIDEST
RANGE OF PEOPLE. TERTIARY EDUCATION, IN WHATEVER FORM,
MUST BE AS ACCESSIBLE, AS INTEGRAL A. PART OF THE RANGE OF
PUBLIC INSTRUCTION AS EDUCATION OF ANY OTHER KIND. THIS
IS WHERE GOVERNMENTS IN THE PAST HAVE FAILED. No ONE WOULD
DENY THAT THE UNIVERSITIES HAVE VASTLY IMPROVED IN QUALITY
AND QUANTITY SINCE THE NATIONAL GOVERNMENT ACCEPTED
RESPONSIBILITY FOR THEM. YET IN 1971 UNIVERSITIES REFUSED
ADMISSION To 131 PER CENT OF THE QUALIFIED APPLICANTS IN
NEW SOUTH WALES, 20 PER CENT OF THE APPLICANTS IN VICTORIA
AND 11 PER CENT IN SOUTH AUSTRALIA, EIGHTY-SIX UNIVERSITY
DEPARTMENTS WERE OBLIGED TO IMPOSE ENTRY QUOTAS. ONLY ONE
STUDENT IN EVERY THREE AT UNIVERSITIES AND ONE STUDENT IN
EVERY 10 AT COLLEGES OF ADVANCED EDUCATION HAS RECEIVED
ASSISTANCE FROM THE AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT. i / 8
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THE MAJORITY OF PLACES AT TERTIARY INSTITUTIONS HAVE BEEN
OCCUPIED NOT BY THE STUDENTS BEST EQUIPPED TO TAKE ADVANTAGE
OF THEM, BUT BY THOSE WHO CAN AFFORD THE FEES.
As YOU KNOW, FROM NEXT JANUARY THE AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT
WILL ASSUME FULL RESPONSIBILI* TY FOR THE FUNDING OF AUSTRALIAN
UNIVERSITIES. I DO NOT NEED TO EMPHASISE THE IMPORTANCE OF
THIS STEP FOR INSTITUTIONS SUCH AS THIS, OR IF I MAY SAY SO
FOR THE FUTURE OF COMMONWEALTH-STATE FINANCIAL RELATIONSHIPS,
OUR FIRST ACT WILL BE TO ABOLISH ALL. FEES. To DO SO WILL. COST
US $ 33 MILLION FOR THE FIRST SIX MONTHS OF 1973-74 A SMALL
PROPORTION OF THE INCOME UNIVERSITIES RECEIVE, BUT A LARGE
PROPORTION OF THE INCOME OF STUDENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES.
ACCESS TO UNIVERSITY EDUCATION WILL BE ON THE BASIS OF
MERIT RATHER THAN MONEY.
AT THE SAME TIME, MY COLLEAGUE THE MINISTER FOR
EDUCATION, HAS ANNOUNCED A COMPREHENSIVE PROGRAM OF LIVING
ALLOWANCES AND OTHER BENEFITS FOR STUDENTS ENROLLED IN
APPROVED COURSES. THESE MEASURES WILL DO A GREAT DEAL MORE
TO MAKE HIGHER EDUCATION GENUINELY FREE THAN SIMPLY REPLACE
THE EXISTING COMPETITLYF_ SCHOLARSHIP SCHEMES. IN TASMANIA
THIS YEAR LESS THAN 20% OF STUDENTS IN ADVANCED EDUCATION
ARE RECEIVING ASSISTANCE UNDER PROGRAMS INITIATED BY TIHE
PREVIOUS GOVERNMENT. NEXT YEAR, ALL AUSTRALIAN STUDENTS
WILL BE ABLE TO APPLY FOR ASSISTANCE ON THE BASIS OF NEED. ,/ 9
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LET ME MENTION SOME OF OUR OTHER MEASURES TO IMPROVE
THE STANDARDS OF HIGHER EDUCATION OTHER THAN IN UNIVERSITIES,
ONE OF OUR FIRST ACTS IN JANUARY THIS YEAR WAS TO SET UP
A COMMITTEE ON TECHNICAL AND FURTHER EDUCATION, THAT COMMITTEE
IS DUE TO REPORT IN THE FIRST HALF OF NEXT YEAR, I HOPE IT
WILL BRING AS MUCH FRESH AIR TO THE STUDY OF ADVANCED EDUCATION
AS THE SCHOOLS COMMITTEE HAS BROUGHT TO SECONDARY EDUCATION,
IT WILL TAKE ACCOUNT OF OVERALL MANPOWER POLICY AND THE NEEDS
OF INDUSTRY, GOVERNMENT AND COMMERCE, ANOTHER OF OUR EARLY
INITIATIVES THIS YEAR WAS TO GRANT AN ADDITIONAL $ 5 MILLION
FOR LIBRARY MATERIALS IN ALL COLLEGES OF ADVANCED EDUCATION
DURING THE 1973-75 TRIENNIUM, TASMANIA'S SHARE OF THIS WILL
BE $ 135,000, NEXT, WE HAVE APPOINTED A COMMITTEE OF THE AUSTRALIAN
UNIVERSITIES COMMISSION TO ADVISE ON AN OPEN UNIVERSITY,
ONCE AGAIN I ACKNOWLEDGE THE ASSISTANCE OF PROFESSOR KARMEL,
WHO WILL BE THE CHAIRMAN OF THAT INQUIRY, WE HAVE ASKED THE
COMMITTEE TO SEE HOW AUSTRALIA CAN BEST EXPAND THE OPPORTUNITIES
FOR EXTRA-MURAL DEGREE COURSES OF UNIVERSITY STANDARD AND
RAISE GENERAL EDUCATIONAL LEVELS IN THE COMMUNITY,
FINALLY, WE HAVE DECIDED TO TACKLE THE REALITIES OF COST
ESCALATION IN FINANCING TERTIARY EDUCATION, IN TAKING OVER THE
FINANCIAL COMMITMENTS OF THE STATES, THE GOVERNMENT WILL, FROM
THE BEGINNING OF NEXT YEAR, PROVIDE FOR ADJUSTMENTS TO APPROVED
PROGRAMS OF EXPENDITURE, THIS WILL TAKE INTO ACCOUNT COST
VARIATIONS IN BOTH CAPITAL AND RECURRENT EXPENDITURE WHICH WERE
NOT ALLOWED WHEN THE PROGRAMS WERE ORIGINALLY ADOPTED,
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THIS WILL BE ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT IN TIMES OF RAPIDLY RISING
COSTS. IMIGHT MENTION HERE THAT I AM AWARE OF YOUR OWN PRESENT
DIFFICULTIES WITH RECURRENT FUNDS. MR. REECE WROTE TO ME A
FEW DAYS AGO ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. kE HAS SENT A DETAILED
STATEMENT TO THE COMMISSION ON ADVANCED EDUCATION TO SUPPORT
HIS REQUEST FOR ADDITIONAL FUNDS. IASSURE YOU THAT MR. BEAZLEY
WILL BE LOOKING CLOSELY AND SYMPATHETICALLY AT YOUR NEEDS.
IBELIEVE I CAN CLAIM THAT WITHIN A YEAR OF TAKING OFFICE
THE NEW AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT HAS TRANSFORMED THE PROSPECTS
FOR EDUCATION IN THIS COUNTRY. ACROSS THE WHOLE FIELD OF
LEARNING AND INSTRUCTION PRE-SCHOOLS, PRIMARY SCHOOLS,
SECONDARY SCHOOLS, TECHNICAL AND FURTHER EDUCATION, UNIVERSITIES
AND COLLEGES OF ADVANCED EDUCATION WE HAVE ACTED WITH SPEED
AND DETERMINATION TO RAISE STANDARDS AND INCREASE OPPORTUNITIES.
A LONG ERA OF NEGLECT AND IMPVERISHMENT IS AT AN END; BARRIERS
OF PRIVILEGE AND INEQUALITY ARE BEING STEADILY REMOVED. YOU KNOW
OF THE ATTEMPTS BY OUR OPPONENTS TO USE THEIR POWER IN THE SENATE
TO FRUSTRATE AND DEL. AY THIS PROCESS. THEY HAVEN'T THE COURAGE
TO BLOCK OUR REFORMS OUTRIGHT. THEY PREFER TO HINDER US BY
NIT-PICKING AND STEALTH. ITELL YOU THEY WILL NOT SUCCEED.
THEY WILL NOT SUCCEED BECAUSE THEY KNOW, AS WE KNOW, THAT THE NEW
DEAL IN EDUCATION, THE NEW VISTA OF OPPORTUNITY WE ARE OFFERING
To AUSTRALIAN CHILDREN TO ALL CHILDREN, WHATEVER THE BACKGROUNDS,
THEIR INCOMES, THEIR ENVIRONMENT HAS THE WHOLEHEARTED SUPPORTAND
ENDORSEMENT OF THE AUSTRALIAN PEOPLE. IAPPLAUD THE WORK OF
THIS FINE COLLEGE AND OTHERS LIKE IT. YOU ARE AN ESSENTIAL PART
OF OUR PLANS TO RAISE THE EDUCATIONAL HORIZONS OF THE
AUSTRALIAN PEOPLE.