Staff and students from universities around Australia held demonstrations on May 14 to protest the Gillard government’s $2.3 billion cuts to higher education.
The National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU) called a 24-hour strike which coincided with a student strike called by the National Union of Students. Students were encouraged to skip class for the day and join picket lines and rallies.
The largest protest was held in Melbourne where an estimated 2000 people rallied in Federation Square. The rally was joined by high-school students from Melbourne Girls College, and members of the Student Action Collective in Geelong.
In Sydney, 500 people marched from Victoria Park to central station. Earlier in the day, police tried to break the picket line at the University of Sydney and some picketers were injured in these clashes.
Protests were also held in regional NSW. The NTEU reports “about a hundred people attended a rally at the University of Newcastle. At University of New England, around 50 people participated in a Q&A session delivered by NTEU Branch President, Dr Tim Battin, and Greens Member John Kaye MLC on the topic of ‘Dumb Cuts’.”
Another 250 people rallied in Brisbane and 300 in Adelaide. Rallies were also held in Hobart, Launceston and Canberra.
The biggest student rally for many years was held at Curtin University, in Western Australia where 600 people joined the demonstration. Watch the video of their action below.
Photos from the rally in Sydney.
Photos from the rally in Perth.