JAUSTRLIA
PRIME MINISTER
CHECK AGAINST DELIVERY EMBARGOED UNTIL DELIVERY
SPEECH BY THE PRI1ME MINISTER
AT INTERNATIONAL HOUSE,
MELBOURNE, 1 OCTOBER 1985
Warden, Chairman of Council
Distinguished Guests,
Students, I was particularly delighted to be invited to officially
open this dining hall in International House and in so
doing to honour Sam, who was Warden of the College from
the early days of its establishment and construction.
Residential colleges have traditionally had a special
place in university life, and an institution such as
International House has, of course, a particularly
significant contribution to make on the campus of
Melbourne University, serving the needs of both overseas
and Australian students. Like most colleges or halls of
residence, the services it provides to all its residents
extend beyond simple material needs, with students
benefitting from the personal interest, support and
assistance college tutors are able to give them.
Just as importantly, residents are also able to learn
from each other. The informal daily contact of all
residents permits a cross fertilization of cultures and
of ideas. Through this kind of opportunity Australianstudents
are able to broaden their knowledge and
understanding of overseas countries and other lifestyles
and philosophies. Overseas students, in turn, gain a
deeper appreciation of the Australian way of life, and
feel less isolated in our country because of this
interaction.
I believe this kind of exchange is important in terms of
its impact both on academic and on personal development.
This is a personal view which I formed years ago when I
I believe this kind of exchange is important in terms of
its impact both on academic and on personal development.
This is a personal view which I formed years ago when I
was a student at the University of Western Australia.
It was then that I realised the need and advantages of a
residence designed specifically to house overseas and
Australian students, to the benefit of both groups.
Although my early attempt at raising funds for a similar
residence in Perth in the early fiftijes did not come to
fruition, it has not lessened my belief that residences
like International House act to promote excellence in
education as well as better understanding between
countries.
This striving for excellence is a feature of the
Australian education system which my Government is
determined to foster and-develop. The need to maintain
and improve the quality and relevance of Australia's
education system together with the goal of increasing
participation, have shaped the actions taken by my
Government in the education area.
In talking of the relevance and quality of education, I
am not denigrating the traditional role played by
universities as the repositories of knowledge in our
society. Universities have, over the centuries,
provided the focus for the development of intellectual
thought and rigor and for concentrated research into
the manifold issues affecting humanity. Rather, I
believe that the university system has a very
substantial responsibility, and very much to offer in
the years ahead, in consolidating and building upon the
gains we, as your Government, have made to Australia's
economic and social fabric.
Our concern for the quality and relevance of education
has led the Government to initiate inquiries into
tertiary education by the Commonwealth Tertiary
Education Commission under its Chairman, Hugh Hudson,
and into primary and secondary education, under
Professor Peter Karmel. These reports are providing the
Government with a basis for ensuring that the resources
going to education are used most effectively in the
years ahead.
The recent Budget, building on that of 1984, clearly
demonstrates our commitment to education. Despite the
difficult budgetary circumstances and other competing
priorities for funds, funding for universities and
colleges of advanced education has increased by 2.8% in
real terms in 1985. We shall continue to increase our
funding in 1986 and 1987.
Many of you are no doubt aware that the Government has,
over the past year, undertaken a major review of its
overseas student policy. Details of this were announced
earlier this year but it is worthwhile recapitulating
some of the major features, which will be of particular
concern to many associated with International House,
both tutors and students.
Under the new policy the Government will continue to
determine the overall. numbcr of overseas students who
are able to study in Australia, but at a level which
will be subject to regular review. In addition, the
number of overseas students at any tertiary institution,
and in any course, will be fixed within specific limits.
Wfhile we would like to be able to accommodate many more
overseas students, these controls represent a realistic
balance between Australia's role and responsibility as a
member of the regional eommunity of nations, and our
responsibility to respond to the increasing home demand
from students seeking tertiary qualifications.
This new policy will guarantee continued access for
students from neighbouring countries to Australian
education facilities, while providing for a more even
distribution of overseas students over the range of
institutions and courses of study available in
Australia.
An important element of the new policy, not least from
the perspective of students, is the new level of
overseas students charge. As you will be aware, we have
decided that fees should increase progressively, towards
the level of 45% of the total cost of courses. We
consider that this level of charge represents a
reasonable contribution by overseas students towards the
cost of their education, costs which are otherwise borne
by Australian taxpayers.
I hasten to add, however that Australia will of course
continue to meet all the charge for students sponsored
under overseas aid arrangements and from developing
countries, who comprise the majority of overseas
students.
With the aim of improving access for overseas students,
and simplifying administration, the overseas Student
Office has been established to provide a " one stop shop"
or point of contact. The Overseas Student Office is
also responsible for policy advice to Government, and
will draw upon the collective wisdom offered by the net.;
Australian Council for Overseas Students. I personally
believe that this reform is long overdue and I am sure
that those of you from overseas who have battled with
various Government agencies would agree.
Perhaps the most signi ficant aspect, potentially, of the
new overseas student policy is the decision to allow
universities and CAEs to market courses at full cost to
overseas students either in Australia-or overseas.
These places will allow an important new avenue for
access to education oppportunities. These places will
be additional to those under existing arrangements.
The guidelines for these courses have been developed
largely to allow institutions to test the waters in
regard to these activities, to see whether courses can
be run competitively and to establish the real level of
demand. They provide for orderly development to take
place, while safeguarding Australian students' access to
the continued provision of high quality education.
The marketing of courses-overseas also has the potential
to contribute to the growth of the education system as
we know it, to expand employment opportunities and
Australia's overall export performance.
But benefits cannot be measured in simple dollar terms.
The intangible benefits greater understanding of
cultures, of increasing our abilities to listen and to
learn and to work co-operatively for the good of
humanity these are some of the benefits which provide
the basis and the hope for future peace and progress in
our world.
Australia does not seek an exaggerated role for itself
in efforts to address the major issues bedevelling world
order. We have a realistic appreciation of the limits
to our own influence. Nevertheless our foreign policy
is making a constructive and realistic contribution to
peace and prosperity in this part of the world.
Our future must be seen as being predominantly with, and
determined by events in, the region of Asia and the
Pacific. Australia's destiny is inextricably linked
with this region, the fastest growing and most dynamic
part~ of the world economy and to which most of the
overseas students in International House will return.
The Labor Government has made it clear from the time of
its election the importance it attaches to Australia's
relations with ASEAN. We value the association as one
of the most effective and lively regional organisations
anywhere in the world. We will continue to seek to
expand political, economic and other forms of
co-operation with ASEAN.
B * ill Hayden and I have attached great importance to
developing understanding and support with our
col! trpart in South Fast Asia. W~ ha%' e ! Dnth v.-isitod
the countries of the region on a number of occasions and
have welcomed leaders from these countries to Australia.
The close political relationship we have enjoyed with
the ASEAN countries is progressively being broadened to
areas such as trade. The process of regional trade
consultations, the latest round of which was held last
month in Seoul, is giving real substance to the growing
regional sense of shared economic and trading interests.
And all countries of the region, including Australia,
have much to gain by being part of such a dynamic growth
region.
Secondly, the Governn'ent has given a new dimension, a
new priority, to arms control and disarmament issues a
priority unpredecentel in Australia. I know that these
issues are of great concern to you, and particularly to
our nation's youth. I would in particular mention the
initiative we took in 1983 to launch the concept of a
nuclear free zone in the South Pacific. It is a matter
of considerable gratification that the text of a treaty
was endorsed at the recent South Pacific Forum at
Rarotonga and that it has been signed by nine regional
countries. This Treaty and the overwhelming support for it which
has been expressed by the countries of the South Pacific
Forum will bring greater-pressure to bear on the French
to end their totally unacceptable nuclear testing.
The French continue to maintain that their nuclear tests
at Mururoa are quite safe. But the logic of this
argument, is that if these tests are as safe as is
claimed they should be conducted in France, and not in
Australia's back yard.
Thirdly, it is appropriate that, at this institution,
which bring together students of diverse ethnic,
religious and cultural background, I should mention our
policies on racial tolerance and equality.
Just as we stand resolutely against any manifestation of
racism in Australia, we reject international policies
which seek to entrench racial injustice.-This
Government, like the Whitlam and Fraser Governments
before it, stands at the leading edge of international
opposition to the abhorrent system of apartheid, the
only institutionalised form of racism in the world.
We want to see that system abolished and an orderly,
peaceful process of change introduced in South Africa
which could lead to the emergence of a genuinely
multi-racial society based upon universal adult
suffrage. In the words of Bill Hayden, we want to see
South Africa brought to its senses, not its knees.
I shall be exploring ways of furthering this process at
the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in the
Bahamas later this month.
Among the options we shall explore will be the
possibility of mandatory economic sanctions being
adopted by the United Nations. But at the same time, we
believe that comprehensive measures by Australia alone
or by a limited number of countries are self-defeating
and probably counterproductive. To date, the necessary
international consensus for mandatory sanctions withuniversal
compliance does not exist.
If the world community is to achieve its aim of seeing a
peaceful transition of South Africa to a multiracial
Society based on universa l adult suffrage it is
critically important that trained South Africans will be
available to take over the responsibilitites of the
transfer of power in that country.
Without fanfare and without political rhetoric the
Commonwealth, through the Commonwealth Trade Union
Council and the Commonwealth Fund for Technical
Cooperation has been engaged for a number of years in
helping to train South African students and workers for
this task. We shall be encouraging increased efforts by
the Commonwealth in this field.
We shall also be seeking enhanced cooperation through
the Commonwealth in areas where Commonwealth links have
not been as developed as much as they could in the past
in the field of employment and labour, youth and women
and development. In these fielcds progress is vital in
all societies, whether in relatively prosperous
countries like Australia or in poorer countries like
Tanzania or Swaziland.
In closing, I would like to say simply I look forward to
a continued association with you as International House
continues to serve the academic and international
community. I am honoured to have the opportunity of
naming this building " Dimmick Dining Hall", in memory of
Sam who contributed so largely to the foundation of
International House.
I know that there will be many long and memorable hours
of discussions of debate and of laughter in this, " The
Dimmick Dining Hall".
Thank you. kr