If Labor hadn't taken education down the user-pays road, the Coalition would have done so under Howard, so I wouldn't go too overboard on pinning all of education's current woes onto Keating.

That's where all the experts went wrong about education. Anyone with a brain & some common sense would provide education for anyone who can handle & absorb education.
The user pays system killed off & will continue to kill off education.
The Goaf only provided education for anyone who wasn't inclined to do work because in return he got their vote. Same with national Service !
Five decades later we're still coping the effects of this insanity !

Houses built on sand.

Politicised education. Recipe for failure!

Dan

FOREIGN STUDENTS TO FLY INTO ADELAIDE, BUT

The Australian government announced last week that a pilot program to allow international students to fly into Australia from China, Hong Kong, and Japan will commence next month. Up to 300 students are expected to arrive into Adelaide before undertaking the standard 14-day hotel QUARANTINE.

SMH, 16th August 2020 http://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/international-student-flights-to-australia-to-restart-in-september-20200816-p55m8t.html reported:

"INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS AND UNIVERSITIES WILL BE FORCED TO STUMP UP THE COST OF TRAVEL AND QUARANTINE as the federal government prepares for the first batch of students to arrive in Australia.

Trade Minister Simon Birmingham announced on [16TH August] that up to 300 students would start arriving in Adelaide as part of a pilot program to restart the international education sector which has been pummelled by the coronavirus pandemic."

"Birmingham said South Australia had demonstrated it could repatriate Australians from overseas without community outbreaks and the same approach would be taken for international students.

"We want to make sure that anything that happens in relation to international arrivals coming into Australia is done with the strictest of safety standards in place," he said.

"I also want to stress as well that NO TAXPAYER dollars will be used in terms of supporting students flying into Australia or quarantining as is required."

Immigration Agents are now offering rewards to people who recommend overseas students to apply for study Visa !