By Wendy Robertson
SYDNEY — A picket of 25 angry students greeted John Howard at Sydney University when he attended the graduation of his daughter on May 2. The picket was organised by the Student Representative Council and supported by many groups including National Union of Students NSW, Resistance, Left Alliance and the Sydney Uni Greens.
Students were picketing in response to suggestions that higher education would be one of the main targets of the planned $8 billion federal budget cuts. The new minister for education, Amanda Vanstone, has threatened cuts of up to $1 billion to higher education, 20% of the total national higher education budget.
Students chanted "Education: broken promises; workers' rights: broken promises" to show our opposition to all of the attacks. After being whisked past the demonstration, Howard returned as an honorary member of the academic procession. Students asked if, as an academic, he would support the National Tertiary Education and Industry Union's 15% pay claim.
Many of the academics in the procession supported the students' actions. On May 30, students and academics in NSW will march together in a day of joint action against cuts to education and for the academics' pay claim.