TANYA PLIBERSEK MP
SHADOW MINISTER FOR EDUCATION
SHADOW MINISTER FOR WOMEN
MEMBER FOR SYDNEY

LISA CHESTERS MP
MEMBER FOR BENDIGO


MORRISON IS TO BLAME FOR THE LA TROBE UNIVERSITY REDUNDANCIES IN REGIONAL VICTORIA

 
Scott Morrison’s refusal to help universities through the COVID crisis has seen more regional Victorian university workers sacked and forced to take redundancies. 
 
Because the Liberals deliberately stopped La Trobe University from accessing JobKeeper payments, the University has today announced another 200 more jobs will be made redundant. 
 
These are academics, tutors, professional and support staff who keep our universities running. 
 
University staff have families and bills to pay, why are the Liberals happy to see their livelihoods destroyed?
 
To make matters worse, Scott Morrison’s recent Budget confirms real Government funding for universities will fall by 10 per cent over the next three years, while $1 billion in emergency funding to support research jobs is cut off. 
 
Because of Scott Morrison’s decisions, universities around Australia have been forced to abolish courses like neuroscience, arts, education, maths and Asian languages, which will be essential to Australia in coming years and decades.
 
The first round of volunteer redundancies in 2020 saw 239 La Trobe staff lose their jobs. In February this year, 96 staff at La Trobe University took voluntary redundancies. 
 
Today’s announcement that over 200 non-voluntary jobs will go from across La Trobe university campuses is heartbreaking news and will have a huge social and economic on regional Victoria. 
 
Labor understands that enhancing access, outcomes, opportunities, and support for regional students will build regional economies. 

The La Trobe University campuses in Bendigo, Mildura, Shepparton and Wodonga are vital to regional Victoria’s pandemic recovery and economic future. 
 
WEDNESDAY, 14 JULY 2021