Arabic version: مئات يحتجون على مقترح دمج جامعات في أستراليا الغربية

According to ABC News, more than 300 university students and staff marched on Parliament House to oppose a proposed merger of the University of Western Australia, Curtin University and Murdoch University.

The Western Australian government last week announced a steering committee to examine combining three of the state’s four public universities. The proposal could create Australia’s largest university, with more than 100,000 students. Curtin and Murdoch criticised the idea as expensive and wasteful, while UWA Vice-Chancellor Amit Chakma welcomed its aspiration to improve the sector.

Protesters chanted against the merger as representatives of the three student guilds addressed the crowd. Curtin University guild president Dylan Storer said universities belonged to Western Australians and argued the government should invest in affordable student housing, teaching, facilities and student support rather than a corporate restructure.

Tertiary Education Minister Tony Buti did not attend, saying he had been invited only the previous day and was introducing changes to the state’s discrimination laws in parliament. He said no commitment had been made and that any merger would proceed only if the business case supported it. Mr Buti also urged students and academics to keep an open mind.

The plan faces a difficult parliamentary path. The Liberal party room has voted to reject it regardless of the business case, while the Greens also oppose it. Labor would need support from at least three crossbench members for legislation to pass, ABC News reported.