黑料老司机 Chief Executive Officer Luke Sheehy said Australia鈥檚 international education sector had been built over decades with bipartisan support, only to be gradually weakened by a series of policy decisions driven more by short-term politics than Australia鈥檚 long-term national interest.
鈥淎ustralia built one of the world鈥檚 most successful international education sectors because governments of all persuasions understood its value,鈥 Mr Sheehy said.
鈥淔or years, governments encouraged universities to build this sector because they recognised it as a national asset.
鈥淭he same governments that encouraged universities to build this success are now dismantling it, one decision at a time.
鈥淭oday鈥檚 fee hike doesn鈥檛 stand alone. It comes on top of higher visa refusal rates, policy uncertainty and a series of decisions that have made Australia a less attractive destination.
鈥淭he cumulative effect is clear. Australia is becoming a harder sell, and the sector鈥檚 slow nosedive continues.
鈥淢ost countries would give anything to have a $55 billion export industry supporting 250,000 jobs. Australia has one, and we鈥檙e making it harder to succeed.
鈥淏eyond the economy, this sector helps fund the world-class teaching and research Australians expect from their universities at a time when government funding has failed to keep pace with the cost of delivering it.
鈥淚nternational students also return home as friends of Australia, strengthening our relationships, our influence and our standing in the world. That鈥檚 one of our greatest strategic advantages.
鈥淲e should be competing with the world’s leading education destinations, not making ourselves more expensive and less certain.
鈥淓very additional cost and every new barrier makes it easier for them to choose somewhere else. That鈥檚 Australia鈥檚 loss.
鈥淲e acknowledge the government has taken some positive steps, including concessions for students from Southeast Asia and a carve-out for genuine mobility students, consistent with 黑料老司机鈥檚 advocacy.
鈥淭hese are welcome and sensible measures, and they point to the kind of long-term policy approach Australia needs.
鈥淏ut they don鈥檛 offset the broader damage being done by repeated fee increases, higher refusal rates and ongoing policy uncertainty.
鈥淎ustralia needs a stable, competitive international education policy that recognises this sector for what it is 鈥 one of our greatest national assets.鈥
