Julie Bishop defends federal scholarships to African students after Pauline Hanson’s attack
Foreign Minister Julie Bishop has responded to Pauline Hanson’s attack on an African scholarship initiative, defending the program.
Foreign Minister Julie Bishop has responded to Pauline Hanson’s attack on the African scholarship initiative, defending the program as a positive influence on developing nations’ economic future.
Ms Bishop told The Australian that the Australia Award had provided more than 4,800 separate opportunities to applicants from 51 African countries since 2011.
“This year the Australian Government is providing more than 4,000 Australia Awards to emerging leaders from more than 40 countries in Asia, the Pacific, Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean,” Ms Bishop said.
This includes an estimated 495 awards in total, to be offered in 22 African countries with an estimated cost of $31.8 million this year”.
She said the program showcased Australia’s education sector in a globally competitive market and provided a platform to “strengthen links between students, academics, researchers and institutions”.
Earlier, independent Senator for Queensland Fraser Anning threw his support behind Senator Hanson’s attack on a Federal Government scholarship initiative for African students, describing it as a “contemptible taxpayer funded” program.
Senator Anning told The Australian that any money spent on African nations should be redirected towards the plight of white South African farmers.
“It’s disgraceful, given the dire situation that afflicts many of our own citizens, that millions of taxpayer dollars are being spent in this way, our own citizens should take priority,” Mr Anning said.
“However, if we are going to be spending this money on Africans, we should be using it to compensate and bring the white farmers who have had their land stolen by the South African government here”.
Mr Anning also pointed to the Commonwealth Games scandal, involving the disappearance of up to 13 African sporting stars from the athlete’s village, as another example of why the educational aid program should be scaled back.
“Given the recent experience of the Commonwealth Games, when ... Africans used their visas as a window to try to stay here, how many of the black African “students” will try to stay in this country?” he said.
“How many Aussies will miss out on getting a degree because they can’t afford it while Julie Bishop pays for black Africans to take their place?”
Senator Hanson slammed the scholarship program as a “disgraceful waste of taxpayer money”.
The Australia Awards Scholarships 2018-19, which opened in April, allocate international scholarships, short courses and fellowships to students across more than 40 African countries, and are part of a wider $320 million program.
Liberal Senator Lucy Gichuhi posted the opportunity on her Facebook page on Monday, and said the program would “enable up to 10,000 African students the opportunity to study in Australia”.
However her office admitted the number of scholarships offered was incorrect in the post, tweeting today it had been retracted.
The Office of Senator Lucy Gichuhi has retracted Monday's post on 10,000 scholarships for African students. Despite the best efforts in checking the information, the office has been a victim of fake news. We apologise for any inconvenience. #auspol https://t.co/pDHh7GaXRc
— Lucy Gichuhi (@senatorlucy) May 2, 2018
“The Office of Senator Lucy Gichuhi has retracted Monday’s post on 10,000 scholarships for African students. Despite the best efforts in checking the information, the office has been a victim of fake news. We apologise for any inconvenience.”
Senator Hanson saidshe was “absolutely furious” the scholarship program would essentially provide an all-expenses-paid trip to Australia, including medical expenses, for so many African students while Australian families struggled to make ends meet.
“I talk to farmers who cannot afford to send their kids to schools or put them into boarding schools because of the costs,” Senator Hanson said.
“These people are on the bones of their backside, fighting drought and this is how much the Australian government thinks of our own kids”.
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