Story by Laura Bahnisch
Photo by David Dettrick
HOBART — More than 300 people rallied on October 13 and marched to the office of local MP Duncan Kerr (for Denison) to protest against the Labor government's education policy and call for free education.
"We tried free education and it wasn't working", Kerr said in an interview with Stephen Bull, spokesperson for the Free Education Coalition. We can't have free education when we want a "mass produced knowledge industry", Kerr added.
The rally, organised by the Free Education Coalition, started in Franklin Square. There were five speakers, representing various sectors of the educational community, followed by an open platform.
Shelly Murrell, the president of the Tasmanian University Union, outlined the drastic effects the budget changes to education would have. She said, "The TUU strongly believes in equity and access to education and fully supports the fight for free education".
Jamie Kirkpatrick, professor of geography and environmental studies, explained that free education benefits the whole community. "A price-based education will result in a loss of human potential for those that are unable to afford it", he said. "There are many things that are beyond the pricing system of the economic rationalists ... and a right to free education is one of the most important of these."
Christine Beveridge, the national secretary of the Council of Australian Postgraduate Associations, summarised the attacks on postgraduate students, including the possibility of up-front fees for all postgraduate courses.
Julius Brookman from the Elizabeth College SRC spoke of the need for school and tertiary students to fight together. Students "refuse to be victims", he said.
Sarah Stephen, from the Free Education Coalition, addressed the need to mobilise large numbers of people to fight for free education. She said, "We know that this is a government that doesn't represent people, that is making ordinary people pay for the recession, rather than big business, so we have to fight for these things ourselves".
About 10 people took part in the open platform, voicing their anger at the government. Paul Bini, Tasmanian NUS education officer, said the National Union of Students was the best way for students to protest.
In response to this, Jenny Ejlak said, "The catalyst for this march today wasn't the rally that was put on by NUS, conveniently before the budget was announced. The catalyst was the inaction by the NUS and by all the student unions around the country ... We have learned that we cannot rely on the government, we cannot rely on our unions to do it for us, we have to do it ourselves."
The angry and vocal demonstration marched the city streets to Kerr's office. Stephen Bull presented him with the FEC Charter. Kerr vehemently defended the government's education policies in a heated meeting, which lasted about 20 minutes.
Kerr was invited to address his constituents, but declined. "I don't think that would be appropriate. I don't want to trivialise the issue."