Dawkins Revolution [SEP] named after
Dawkins Revolution
The Dawkins Revolution was a series of Australian tertiary education reforms instituted by the then Labor Education Minister (1987–91) John Dawkins.
The reforms were proposed in "Higher education: a policy discussion paper" ('the green paper') which was published in December 1987 and announced in "Higher education: a policy statement" ('the white paper') published in July 1988.
Aims and outcomes.
The reforms were aimed at enhancing the "quality, diversity and equity of access"
, and the re-introduction of university fees (abolished by Kim Beazley senior in 1973) in the form of the HECS. This later became known as the Dawkins Revolution and aroused bitter opposition among academics and university administrators.
A key supporter of Paul Keating, Dawkins became Treasurer following Keating's unseating of Hawke as ALP leader and Prime Minister, in his second and successful leadership challenge in December 1991. After Keating's unexpected victory in the 1993 federal election, Dawkins brought down a budget which contained a series of highly