University merger: Premier Peter Malinauskas says blocking would defy expert advice

Premier Peter Malinauskas is pouncing on a key endorsement of his flagship university merger, arguing parliament blocking the plan would defy expert advice.

Premier Peter Malinauskas is seizing on a key economic report endorsing his flagship university merger, insisting blocking the plan would be an extraordinary revolt against expert advice.

In an interview with The Advertiser, Mr Malinauskas challenged parliamentary rivals to defy the considered decisions of the universities of Adelaide and South Australia to amalgamate – a move backed by a South Australian Productivity Commission report.

But Liberal deputy leader John Gardner insisted there was no evidence yet the government had considered the risks of merging the universities, arguing a secretive process had promoted only the opportunities.

The commission’s report, released on Thursday, finds the state government’s focus on a merger is “sound economic policy” that can transform SA “into a high-innovation, high-wage state”.

Adelaide and UniSA officials on July 2 ink a historic deal to merge. Front L to R Chancellor of the University of SA Pauline Carr, Premier Peter Malinauskas, Chancellor of the University of Adelaide Catherine Branson. Back L to R Uni SA Vice Chancellor Professor David Lloyd, Treasurer Stephen Mullighan, Deputy Premier Susan Close, University of Adelaide Vice Chancellor Professor Peter Hoj. Picture: Emma Brasier

Mr Malinauskas said there was a “body of evidence” finding the merger proposal was good for the state, labelling decisions on legislation needed to enable the amalgamation important tests for his rival, Opposition Leader David Speirs, and parliament’s upper house.

“It’d be extraordinary if the parliament decided that these two universities don’t know much about universities,” Mr Malinauskas told The Advertiser.

“It would be extraordinary if the parliament says to these universities: ‘You’re wrong’. It’d be extraordinary if the parliament says to the Productivity Commissioner: ‘You’re wrong’.

“This will be a really big missed opportunity. So let’s form a view about it one way or another by the end of the year. That’s what our hope is and now, of course, I can’t control that alone. It’s up to the parliament itself.”

In a letter to Mr Malinauskas, Productivity Commission chairman Adrian Tembel says almost 40 years of state “activist innovation policies” have failed to spur economic growth, resulting in an $8000 wage gap with other states.

Premier Peter Malinauskas, talks to Uni SA PhD student Casper Liu, while on a July 3 visit to Uni SA’s Bradley Lab. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Dean Martin

Mr Malinauskas said the report illustrated “the need to improve training and skills outcomes, entrepreneurial outcomes on the back of education to drive productivity and, in return, people’s standard of living”.

The report recommends legislative changes to prioritise universities’ commitment to an economic and social impact on SA, along with a University Reform and Growth Fund to “incentivise and directly support economically significant reforms”, which “could include merger reform”.

Mr Malinauskas in July announced a state funding package to back the Adelaide University merger that included a $200m pool to support research.

Mr Gardner told The Advertiser the Liberals “genuinely have an open mind” about the proposal but declared Mr Malinauskas had to quickly present information and evidence about the merger to a parliamentary committee due to report by October 17.

“They set up this committee on July 6. We’re now a month in and they’re yet to actually provide us with any of that information, so the clock’s ticking,” he said.