Labor to slash university red tape

A WEST Australian Labor government would "liberate" universities from red tape hampering them from attracting finance.  

120120 Mark McGowan

A WEST Australian Labor government would "liberate" universities from red tape hampering them from attracting finance and boost their ability to engage in commercial activities with outside organisations to generate income.

The extra funds would then be reinvested into research and innovation.

Just over 100 days before the March election, Opposition Leader Mark McGowan yesterday said this was part of his wider plan to diversify the WA economy beyond mining and invest in services.

He outlined a plan to emulate tertiary sector reforms in Victoria that he said gave them more freedom to undertake commercial enterprises and increase the value of the state's education exports.

Mr McGowan argues antiquated red tape would hold back plans by Murdoch University to collaborate with Fiona Stanley Hospital on a medical research hub, while Curtin University's plan for a new university precinct would also struggle to reach its potential.

He said a Labor government would modernise tertiary legislation to give universities greater security of land tenure and a greater mandate to use their vested crown land for commercial uses, such as retail, science or residential accommodation.

Universities could then create hubs of innovation and enterprise which would draw international students to the state.

"WA Labor wants to liberate our universities from excessive legislation," Mr McGowan told a business lunch yesterday.

"By reforming the legislation that is stifling our universities we will give them the power to unlock the value of their land and their people and reinvest it in innovation and research."

The legislation that created the University of Western Australia dates back to 1911, while other university acts were enacted in the 1960s and 1970s.

The legislative changes would occur either by transferring responsibility for development at universities from local government to the Metropolitan Redevelopment Authority, or by allowing universities to administer their own planning scheme, with WA Planning Commission approval.

West Australian Education Minister Peter Collier was contacted for comment.