In 1987, the Minister for Employment, Education and Training, the Hon. J. S. Dawkins MP, established a committee, chaired by the Hon. N. K. Wran, to investigate ways of funding growth in Australia's higher education system. The Committee was asked to develop options for supplementing the funding of the Australian higher education system which could involve contributions from students, their parents, and employers. The Committee found that access to higher education in Australia was inequitable and that the system was largely financed from the public purse. The Committee proposed a... [+] Show more
In 1987, the Minister for Employment, Education and Training, the Hon. J. S. Dawkins MP, established a committee, chaired by the Hon. N. K. Wran, to investigate ways of funding growth in Australia's higher education system. The Committee was asked to develop options for supplementing the funding of the Australian higher education system which could involve contributions from students, their parents, and employers. The Committee found that access to higher education in Australia was inequitable and that the system was largely financed from the public purse. The Committee proposed a package of reforms aimed at making the system fairer. The main elements of the integrated reform package were: a higher education contribution scheme; initiatives to improve the access of financially disadvantaged people; the establishment of a tripartite body to develop appropriate education and training levies, aligned with an overall improvement in Australia's skills formation and training effort; options for supplementing the revenue raised from the contribution scheme to finance growth in higher education and improve the opportunities for disadvantaged people to participate; and the abolition of the Higher Education Administration Charge (HEAC).