Association of University Staff
Media Release
Attn Education Reporter 22 May 2008
University staff welcome extra funding, but more needed
The Association of University Staff (AUS) has welcomed the announcement today by the Minister for Tertiary Education, Dr
Pete Hodgson, that the tertiary education sector will receive $900 million in additional funding over the next four
years.
Of that new funding, $15 million has been specifically allocated through the University Tripartite Forum to support
recruitment and retention initiatives intended to increase the international competitiveness of New Zealand
universities.
Responding to today’s Budget announcement, AUS National President, Associate Professor Maureen Montgomery, said that,
although significant gains had been made in recent budgets towards addressing funding and salary problems within the
university sector, the momentum needed to be increased further still to ensure the international reputation and
competitiveness of the New Zealand university system. “The need for major funding increases has been made the more
pressing with the announcement in the recent Australian Budget of more than $A2 billion in new policy initiatives for
higher education in that country,” she said. “Their Budget announcement included the establishment of a new $A11 billion
Education Investment Fund and a one-off allocation of $A500 million for capital development.”
According to Associate Professor Montgomery, the inclusion of funding targeted at the recruitment and retention of
university staff illustrates the benefits of unions, vice-chancellors and the Government working constructively
together. “We know that the tripartite process has been successful in achieving consensus and providing results for
universities, including university staff,” she said. “What is still need though is a long-term strategy to deal with
under funding and to increase salaries further still.”
Associate Professor Montgomery said that AUS will work with the New Zealand Vice-Chancellors Committee to determine the
implications of today’s announcement for the current bargaining process.
ENDS