Comments on: Beyond the Clever Country https://www.openforum.com.au/beyond-the-clever-country/ Open Forum offers an independent platform for Australian debate Tue, 19 Dec 2023 21:24:05 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=4.9.25 By: Sam Kharman https://www.openforum.com.au/beyond-the-clever-country/#comment-3458 Tue, 07 May 2013 03:33:00 +0000 http://staging.openforum.com.au/blog/beyond-the-clever-country/#comment-3458 Beyond the clever what??

Your article touches on several important subjects that deserve a more in-depth analysis individually. I have really tried very hard to find a more diplomatic word other than stupid to describe many decisions implemented by our current government who seems to place self-preservation at the summit of priorities.

You mention the resources boom; I am stunned at the level of incompetent mismanagement of the windfall and the missed long term opportunities. Instead the windfall morphed into a debt. While the rest of the world wrestled with an international monetary crisis our government’s economic prowess extended to investing our windfall on “pink” elephant UN seats, “pink” bats, and other failed short sighted initiatives. I feel nausea writing about this.

I agree with you whole heartedly on the negative effects that reduced funding would inflict on our Universities. It is worth noting that historically our Universities are recognised internationally for their high educational standards. Australia is one of the top 3 countries where many international students are seeking enrolment to achieve doctorates in their respective fields after graduating from their own countries or other overseas universities.

In desperation I believe the current government is resorting to deliberately create adversarial relationships not only as you mention “between early childhood and primary education, primary and secondary education, and schools and universities” but also along the lines of rich and poor, and gender to mention a few. Divide and rule seems to be the order of the day.

“The clever country” is fast becoming a myth.
Sam Kharman, Not a professor, published nothing

 

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