Election Critical for Private Tertiary Training

act-new-zealand

Wed Jul 24 2002 12:00:00 GMT+1200 (New Zealand Standard Time)

Election Critical for Private Tertiary Training

Wednesday, 24 July 2002, 10:10 am
Press Release: ACT New Zealand

Wednesday 24 Jul 2002

This election is a critical one for private tertiary training providers, said Dr Muriel Newman MP, ACT's spokesman on Tertiary Education at a meeting of private providers and their students at AUT today.

"If Labour gets re-elected and forms a government, many private training providers will be forced out of business", Dr Newman said. "Students will be denied their choice of which provider best suits their needs. Thousands of Maori and Pacific Island students who attend private training establishments in disproportionate numbers will be the worst hit.

"By capping the sector's funding at 2001 levels, the Labour Government is showing it is anti-business and ideologically opposed to private enterprise. The funding cap will drive many providers out of business. There will be huge redundancies and students will be left out in the cold.

"The private tertiary sector represents 47,000 students and 6,500 teachers. According to official information from Treasury it has been largely responsible for driving innovation in the tertiary sector in a cost-effective manner.

"Labour's claims that as a government it is committed to innovation can be seen to be just hollow words and political spin, when it is squeezing out of business the very providers who are the driving force of innovation in the critical tertiary education sector.

"I am urging every voter in the PTE sector to vote against the double standards of the Labour party and to support the ACT party with its commitment to private enterprise, student choice, and excellence in education," Dr Newman said.

Ends

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