Australia’s NZ uni fee change ruled ‘discriminatory’

Australia/Agosto de 2017/Fuente: RNZ

Resumen:  El cambio de ley – señalado en el Presupuesto federal en mayo – afecta a expatriados y residentes permanentes que anteriormente eran elegidos para acceder a subsidios en educación superior. Las nuevas reglas podrían ver triplicar los honorarios para esos estudiantes. En un informe presentado en el Parlamento, el comité dijo que la eliminación del subsidio de la Commonwealth «discrimina directamente a los residentes permanentes ya los ciudadanos de Nueva Zelanda». «Este grupo tendrá que pagar cuotas (ya sea anticipadas, o reembolsadas con el tiempo) que son sustancialmente más altos que los ciudadanos australianos». Sin embargo, el vicepresidente del comité, el diputado federal de Trabajo de Queensland, Graham Perrett, reconoció que su decisión era desdentada. A pesar de todo, el informe del comité pasaría ahora a ejecutivos del gobierno. Cuando el comité preguntó por qué el gobierno estaba discriminando, no podía justificarlo, dijo Perrett.

The law change – signalled in the federal Budget in May – affects expatriates and permanent residents who were previously eligible for subsidised higher education places.

The new rules could see fees for those students triple.

The Parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights voted unanimously last week that the change is discriminatory.

In a report tabled in Parliament, the committee said the removal of the Commonwealth subsidy «directly discriminates against permanent residents and New Zealand citizens».

«This group will have to pay fees (either upfront, or repaid over time) that are substantially higher than Australian citizens.»

However, the committee’s deputy chair, Queensland federal Labor MP Graham Perrett, acknowledged its ruling was toothless.

Regardless, the committee’s report would now go to government executives.

When the committee questioned why the government was discriminating, it could not justify it, said Mr Perrett.

«The minister didn’t actually justify why he has got rid of this, but he did say: We now let New Zealanders access this scheme where they can get a loan to pay off the higher education fees,» he said.

It may fall foul of an agreement between the two nations, but that was not enough to deter the Australian government.

«Nation states sign treaties, it wouldn’t be the first time an executive might not have complied with all aspects of a treaty they’d signed and ratified.»

There were many New Zealanders living in Mr Perrett’s electorate, with socio-economic challenges, and he expected more New Zealanders to raise their concerns with the government, he said.

Fuente: http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/world/337110/australia-s-nz-uni-fee-change-ruled-discriminatory