Greens back funding increase for our universities

The Australian Greens spokesperson for Higher Education, Senator Robert Simms, has backed the call for greater investment in Australia's public universities by Universities Australia.

"It is a terrible indictment on the current Government and the value that it places on our public universities that we are languishing at the bottom of advanced economies in terms of our public investment", Senator Simms said.

"An investment in higher education is an investment in the future of our country. We have to ensure our universities are adequately resourced if we are to compete in an innovative, global economy."

"The Government is now adrift at sea with no policy to speak of while Labor's policy is nothing more than a fig leaf to hide the structural underfunding problems in the sector."

"I am calling on both major parties to back the call by the Greens and Universities Australia to increase funding for our public universities."

Senator Simms is in Canberra today to hear Universities Australia president Barney Glover's address to the press club.

Media contact: Cambell Klose 0490 436 948