b'Canberra observed Canberra observedAs a primary producer of innovation,some of the numbersthey include providing the capacity to helpstudents at all Australian educational turbo-charge Australias economicinstitutions (Table 1)\x08 The increase in five growth and job creation\x08 years has been dramatic\x08Let us look at a few numbers\x08 As you can see in Table 2 the economic impact has been huge, both to the universities and to the whole of the Economic benefits country\x08 But it is not just the economic According to Deloitte Access Economicsimpact\x08 The personal networks (2020), quoted by Professor Terry, in 2018developed between Australians and universities: other people in Asia are vital if we are to prosper in a post-COVID world\x08 After all, David Denham AMContributed annually $41 billion to theit is not just what you know, it is who you Associate Editor for GovernmentAustralian economy\x08 know\x08 Australia can only benefit from denham1@iinet.net.au Supported 259 100 equivalent full-timethese interactions\x08jobs\x08Contributed $3 of additional taxationUniversities Australia estimate that the What is the future of ourrevenue for every $1 invested inequivalent of around 21 000 permanent university teaching and scholarshipjobs have been lost because of the universities? absence of overseas students due to from government\x08The present government appears toGenerated $5 to GDP for every $1COVID-19\x08 Many of these will be in have a love/hate relationship withinvested in higher education researchspecialised teaching positions, and will our universities\x08 On the one hand theand development\x08 be gone until international travel is country cannot prosper without them,Generated annually an additional $1\x088restored\x08and on the other the governmentbillion of economic activity, a 0\x0809%It was very disappointing that is trying to increase its control overincrease in GDP\x08 the government decided to deny what they teach and where theThe main conclusion from these numbersuniversities access to Job-keeper funds\x08 research dollar goes\x08 Hanging overis that public investment in universitiesIt never explained why it took this all of this is the impact, both sociallyis a sound strategy, particularlydecision\x08 I would have thought that it and economically, of the absence ofafter COVID-19\x08 Unfortunately, thewould have been more important to international students\x08 contribution from international studentssustain our educational facilities than Professor Deborah Terry, the Chair ofhas fallen significantly, and created ato give money to the likes of Harvey Universities Australia, articulated herhuge gap in revenue\x08 Norman, or to provide half price air vision for the roles for universities in afares for tourists to go to marginal Press Club address on 10 March 2021\x08electorates\x08 The government thought She envisaged our universities helpingInternational students otherwise\x08to drive Australias recovery from theThe number of international studentsThe government relented to some COVID-19 pandemic in three significantenrolled in Australia grew by 58 % in theextent by providing an additional $1 ways: last five years (https://www\x08studying-in- billion through the Research Support Contributing to the broad, flow-onaustralia\x08org/international-student-in- Program (RSP) to alleviate the immediate economic and social benefits that ouraustralia-statistics)\x08 Tables 1 and 2 showfinancial pressures on the research nation needs\x08 Table 2.Economic impact and effect on larger universities (source: https://www\x08Educating the skilled graduates who will shape our future\x08 studying-in-australia\x08org/international-student-in-australia-statistics)Number of students perContribution toUniversity/international students total country economy, $millions numbers and proportion in %Table 1.Total number international students (source: https://www\x08 China 203 295 12 095 Monash 25 690 30\x087studying-in-australia\x08org/international- India 109 736 5495 Sydney 25 532 38\x082student-in-australia-statistics)Nepal 51 377 2628 Melbourne 21 858 32\x081Calendar year Number of internationalBrazil 25 604 1015 Queensland 17 865 33\x083students Vietnam 24 782 1368 RMIT 16 667 24\x0812015 465 508Malaysia 23 854 1378 New South Wales 15 741 25\x0822016 517 890South Korea, 20 152 0\x08984 UTS Sydney 13 672 29\x0872017 586 627Deakin 13 044 21\x0892018 650 905ANU 9782 37\x0802019 738 107 Macquarie 9414 21\x081APRIL 2021 PREVIEW 24'