John Howard (Bennelong, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Hansard source

I do not think there is any doubt that as a result of the reforms announced in the budget speech on Tuesday night things will get immeasurably better in Australian universities. That is not just my view. I remind you it is the view of every vice-chancellor who has spoken on this subject since Tuesday night. We all know that the academic community of this country does not normally represent a chorus of praise for this government. It is often the case that we are criticised, I think unfairly, on occasions. Nonetheless, we respect freedom of speech as we respect academic freedom. People are free to express their views. The Leader of the Opposition and the member for Perth are clutching at straws on this issue because the Leader of the Opposition has been caught out. He has to make a choice. He has to fess up either to not knowing his own party’s policy or to being heavied out of doing something he wanted to do. That in reality is what the Leader of the Opposition faces. He knew, when he did that first interview on Sky, that the policy position his party had was absurd. He knew it discriminated against Australians. He is now having a mock, humorous conversation with the Deputy Leader of the Opposition and the shadow Treasurer. They confect humorous disinterest.

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