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Education The Key To Economic & Cultural Renewal In Latrobe

Higher education is playing a critical role in the renewal of the Latrobe Valley

By Jo McMillan - 27th August 2002 - Back to News

Higher education is playing a critical role in the economic and cultural renewal of the Latrobe Valley, according to Federal Member for McMillan Christian Zahra.

During debate on the Higher Education Funding Amendment Bill in the House of Representatives this week, Mr Zahra said that people in the Latrobe Valley know that higher education and further training are the keys to the future of the region.

"We recognise in our region that a big part of our future is higher education, and at the centre of that in the Gippsland region is Monash University’s Gippsland campus," Mr Zahra said.

"We understand very clearly in Gippsland, and in the Latrobe Valley in particular, that we have no future, no way of getting ourselves out of some of the circumstances that we confront, if we don’t have the resources we need to improve people’s access to higher education."

"It is all well and good for people to talk about education, but the test in public life is how much you are prepared to commit in terms of resources."

"The Howard Government has, sadly, not seen fit to properly fund the university sector, and it has been regional universities and regional campuses which have suffered most."

Mr Zahra said that Latrobe Valley people need to be able to find their way into some of the new jobs that are being created in Australia, including those associated with growing industries, with the service sector and the growth in higher education.

"The university and other training providers in the district are our bridge to those opportunities; they are our bridge to those new jobs," Mr Zahra said.

"We have a resilient community in the Latrobe Valley, made up of people who have been through tough times. Through these tough times, people have maintained their commitment to education."

"We are not interested in being second-class citizens. We are not interested in mowing the lawns of rich city people, as the Treasurer suggested not that long ago. What we want is an opportunity to participate in the jobs associated with the new economy."

Mr Zahra said that communities like the Latrobe Valley are working hard to find their own way and develop their own future, instead of relying on other people to find a future for them.

"Education and training in the Latrobe Valley is going to be a big part of our future and will make an enormous difference to us being able to access the opportunities associated with new jobs and new industries in the future."

Source: http://gippsland.com/

Published by: news@gippsland.com

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