Kim Carr (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research) Share this | Hansard source

No, no. Previous ministers sought to engage in direct interventions with regard to which research projects were undertaken, the behaviour undertaken by students and what universities spent their money on. You did this under the guise of Work Choices; you did this under the guise of a number of other moral crusades that you sought to perpetuate and for your narrow, base political motives. We are not going to be a party to it. We are about ensuring that institutions are able to be run properly and that we understand the importance of universities. As Minister Gillard pointed out, we take the foot off the throats of universities. What you are seeking to do is to reimpose that Commonwealth boot onto the throats of universities.