Commenting on a new report that funding for VET across all levels of government dropped in 2013/14 by 7 per cent Greens spokesperson for tertiary, technical and further education Senator Lee Rhiannon said:

"Vocational Education Training is in trouble. State and federal governments urgently need to fix the structural causes.

"The COAG agreement on vocational education and training which allows hundreds of millions of public dollars flow to private, for-profit providers needs to be overhauled.

Reports that very few students enrolled in private colleges graduate with qualifications reveals the extent of the negative impact for-profit companies are having on education standards, Greens tertiary, technical and further education spokesperson Senator Lee Rhiannon said.

"Assistant Minister for education and training Senator Simon Birmingham is crying crocodile tears over a problem the Abbott government created when they brought in their privatisation agenda for vocational education and training course," Senator Rhiannon said.

The Abbott government’s refusal to release higher education modelling documents arguing that it would be contrary to the public interest is jaw dropping says Australian Greens spokesperson for higher education Senator Lee Rhiannon.

 “Refusing to produce the Senate’s request for higher education policy costings is yet another arrogant and misguided move by a government that is majestically unravelling,” said Senator Rhiannon.

The Greens have developed a positive vision for Australia which includes free and fair higher education, a renewable energy transition plan and an efficient public transport system. 

The Senate today has passed a Greens motion calling on Education Minister Christopher Pyne to stop wasting public resources in his attempts to wreck public higher education in Australia.

Greens spokesperson for higher education Senator Lee Rhiannon moved the motion in response to Mr Pyne's recent spend of $150,000 to hire an external negotiator to convince the cross bench to support his twice failed deregulation bill.

"This could well be the first time the Senate has passed a motion saying the Education Minister is wrecking public education in Australia.

Senator RHIANNON (New South Wales) (12:08): I move:

That the Senate-

(a) notes that:

(i) the Abbott Government's attempts to deregulate university fees and slash public funding to higher education have been defeated twice in the current Parliament,

(ii) the Minister for Education and Training (Mr Pyne) has so far spent $150 000 of public money hiring a private consultant to conduct parliamentary negotiations on his behalf, and

The Greens have launched their campaign for ‘Free Higher Education' to set out the alternative to Abbott government's deregulation plan for public universities.

Campaign website: www.freehighereducation.com.au 

"We launched our campaign in a Sydney pub room packed with university students, young Greens members, unionists, TAFE campaigners and high school students," said Greens spokesperson for tertiary, technical and further education Senator Lee Rhiannon.

Australia needs a visionary approach to creating a universally accessible higher education system with no financial barriers and open to people from all backgrounds. Many countries have achieved this and the Greens believe that we can too. Join us as we build a campaign to bring education opportunity to all Australians.

The Australian Greens have called on Flinders University to follow the University of Western Australia and reject the Abbott government's desperate bid to find a host for climate sceptic Bjorn Lomborg.

"It would be extraordinary if Flinders University accepted Education Minister Christopher Pyne's $4 million to host Bjorn Lomborg whose work has been widely discredited by both scientists and economists," Greens spokesperson for higher education Senator Lee Rhiannon said.