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Question time - CreanBIOGRAPHY
Born in Melbourne 26 February 1949 1972: Graduated from Monash University, with degrees in economics and law 197085: Full-time trade union official with the Federated Storemen and Packers Union of Australia 198590: President of the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) 1990: Elected to Federal Parliament. Appointed Minister for Science and Technology in the fourth Hawke Labor Government 199194: Minister for Primary Industries and Energy 199496: Minister for Employment, Education and Training in the Keating Labor Government 199698: Deputy Opposition Leader, Shadow Treasurer, Shadow Industry and Regional Development Minister, and Manager of Opposition Business 2001: Elected Leader of the Opposition, following the 2001 Federal Election You attended Monash University from 1967, graduating with a Bachelor of Economics in 1970 and a Bachelor of Laws in 1972. Why did you choose to study at Monash and what sort of institution was Monash then?
It was an exciting campus the buildings were new, the facilities first class and the law school had just opened. It was not crowded, due to the initial lower intake, and the library, in particular, was very well resourced. The classes were also directly opposite the union building and there was a great social life. Your name first became well known through your connections with the trade union movement and industrial issues. What impact did the years at Monash have on the direction you took and on your current position? When I first started at Monash, I had little interest in a political career and little idea of what career I wished to pursue. This was the time of the Vietnam War and the moratorium marches, and there was a high level of political activism at Monash. It was as a direct result of this that I became interested and involved in politics. What do you see as the most significant changes in tertiary education over the past 30 years and what role do you believe tertiary education will and should play in Australia over the next 20 years? The most significant change was undoubtedly the Whitlam government's decision to scrap university entrance fees, a move that opened up a university education to many people who otherwise would never have been able to afford a place. That led to an explosion of people entering university and placed a strain on universities and their resources. The introduction of the HECS system ensured that sufficient resources would be available to deal with this increase in numbers, while not acting as a financial barrier to anyone wanting a university education. Universities are vital to Australia's future prosperity and economic development. Research and development, usually spearheaded by universities, is the essential driver for improvements in productivity and living standards. A continuing emphasis on R&D will cement Australia's place in the new world economy and attract overseas investment. How important are Australia's universities and research organisations to the future of the country? The Labor Party went to the last federal election, in October last year, with what we called the 'Knowledge Nation' agenda a plan to invest in our research and development and in our universities. As we said at that time, the real issue is not whether we should be investing more in universities, but whether we can afford not to.
Universities play a crucial role in helping develop skills and promoting the economic development and transition of the nation and of regions in particular, so governments have to be prepared to invest in skills development. Labor put a lot of money into technical and further education and universities, linking those sectors to the workplace. These are the very resources that the current government has cut. There's no point saying that what you want to do is to encourage higher productivity and higher skilling, unless at the same time you're prepared to commit resources to ensure that this happens. Question time - CostelloBIOGRAPHY
Born in Melbourne 14 August 1957 1980 Graduated with a Bachelor of Laws from Monash University 1982 Graduated with a Bachelor of Arts from Monash University 198190 Worked as a solicitor and then as a self-employed barrister 198486 Part-time tutor in the faculties of law, and economics and politics at Monash University 1990 First elected a Member of the House of Representatives for the seat of Higgins 199092 Shadow Minister for Corporate Law Reform and Consumer Affairs 199293 Shadow Attorney-General and Shadow Minister for Justice 199394 Shadow Minister for Finance 1994 Elected Deputy Leader of the Liberal Party of Australia 199496 Shadow Treasurer 1996 Appointed Federal Treasurer Why did you choose to study at Monash? When I began university, I had just turned 17 and didn't have a driver's licence. I decided to study at Monash as it was close to my home, and friends and neighbours who were already studying at Monash were able to give me transport. Monash then had a radical reputation, but it was also establishing itself with an innovative Faculty of Law that seemed to be geared to contemporary trends. What impact did your university years have on your personal life?
What impact did your years at Monash have on the career direction you took and on your current position? The years at Monash had a big impact on my career direction because I managed to qualify in law and commenced a career as a solicitor, and then as a barrister. I also returned to the university as a part-time tutor in the Law faculty, which gave me the opportunity to supplement my income as a junior member of the bar when I was first starting out. I think I first began to understand the law course when I started teaching it, having missed most of it when I was actually a student. What do you see as the most significant changes in tertiary education over the past 30 years and what role do you believe tertiary education will and should play in Australia over the next 20 years? Thirty years ago, there was a much smaller proportion of the population attending university. The proportion of the population that is university-educated is much larger now. And the introduction of the Higher Education Contribution Scheme (HECS) by the Hawke government means that students are contributing more towards the cost of their education. I have the feeling this means that the students are more career-oriented than they were in the 1970s when the 'experience' of university sometimes took a lot more time than the learning. I think we should aim to build some really world-class centres of excellence among universities important in themselves, but important to showcase Australia's academic reputation. How important are Australia's universities and research organisations to the future of the country? Crucial. It's impossible to conceive of a prosperous country without a well-trained, skilled and well-educated population. In a world where capital and investment and people are highly mobile, it is imperative that Australia remain a desirable destination for all three. This means a healthy tertiary education sector to ensure that Australia remains at the cutting edge of educational standards. |
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The Hon Simon Crean MP Member for Hotham
I chose Monash because I wanted to do law and economics, and Monash offered the best combination as well as the most
innovative law degree.
The Hon Peter Costello MP Member for Higgins
I thoroughly enjoyed studying at Monash.
I had the opportunity to become chairman of the Student Association and also a
member of the University Council. I made a lot of friends and found it a stimulating environment. It opened up a much larger
world than I had seen during my secondary school years.