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Labor Votes Against Saving Rural Uni CampusesThe Bracks Labor Government today rejected pleas from the Liberal and National parties to urgently intervene to save agricultural education in country Victoria. By Phillip Davis - 10th November 2004 - Back to News Shadow Minister for Agriculture Philip Davis said the Liberal and National parties collaborated in Parliament in an attempt to achieve a non-partisan approach to the University of Melbourne’s plan to dump full-time agriculture courses at its rural campuses.
The Liberal Party moved an amendment to the National Party’s motion to conduct an inquiry into the importance of a skilled workforce and research capacity for the future development of agriculture and other natural resource based industries.
In particular, current organisation and delivery of post-secondary education and extension in agriculture, agribusiness and natural resource management in Victoria and how this interacts with Government and private sector research programs.
Mr Davis said the Liberal Party moved an amendment that asked for Labor’s Education Minister Lynne Kosky to act immediately to ensure the Melbourne University did not pre-empt the inquiry by implementing its proposed changes to the mode of delivery of current agriculture related programs in regional Victoria.
"As incredible as it may seem, the Labor Government came to the debate with an unconstructive approach and voted against the amendment to deal with the urgency and against the motion before the house in principle," Mr Davis said.
"We had a situation where two parties worked together in attempt to force the Bracks Government to realise the severity and urgency of this issue, but again it fell on deaf ears.
"This vote followed a totally inadequate defence of the government’s inaction on this issue.
"The Bracks Government was unable to give any valid reasons why it had steered clear of this issue and appeared to be acting in concert with the university.
"Agriculture Minister Bob Cameron has been completely silent on the issue and has no alternative for agricultural education if Melbourne University dismantles its regional campuses."
Mr Davis said this was an extremely confusing time for students who have just completed their Victorian Certificate of Education studies and had begun exams.
He said the university had not yet informed students whether they would be welcome to study agriculture full time at the regional campuses of McMillan in Leongatha and Warragul, Glenormiston at Terang, Longerenong at Horsham and Gilbert Chandler at Werribee.
"These students are making decisions that will affect the rest of their lives without all the information, and the University of Melbourne and Bracks Government are doing nothing to assist."
Source: http://gippsland.com/ Published by: news@gippsland.com
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