OAKESHOTT INDEPENDENT
PORT MACQUARIE PAYING THE PRICE FOR GOLD COAST UNIVERSITY
The Commonwealth Government has given over $20 million of land and money to the expansion of Southern Cross University on the Gold Coast, outside the prescribed terms and conditions contained in the Act of Parliament that set up the University itself, local MP Robert Oakeshott said today.
"Port Macquarie has basically lost its campus presence from Southern Cross University. There departure from Port Macquarie has been a disappointing loss, Mr Oakeshott said.
"The Southern Cross University Act 1993 gave authority to the University to provide teaching and research, paying particular regard to the North Coast of NSW". Port Macquarie, last time I looked, was very much a key community on the north coast of NSW, Mr Oakeshott said.
"It is therefore disappointing that at the time Southern Cross University is pulling out of a campus presence in Port Macquarie, they are going outside their charter and establishing a new campus on the Gold Coast in Queensland, Mr Oakeshott said.
"What is even more disappointing is this process is being aided and abetted by Commonwealth offers of land, and Commonwealth money for construction of the first $20 Million facility, said Mr Oakeshott.
"Southern Cross University currently has campuses at Coffs Harbour, Lismore, and Tweed, and now will shortly have a new campus at Coolongatta Creek on the Gold Coast. The University claims it brings in over $300 million into the region annually, and it is directly or indirectly responsible for 2,500 jobs.
"Port Macquarie sees none of this despite being within the Act as an area that the University should pay particular attention to. Why then has the Commonwealth given money and land to a University acting outside its charter, and assisting it in moving away from its area of responsibility to an area that already has a significant university presence - that being on the Gold Coast?
7 August 2007