Tony Abbott and Christopher Pyne cancel Deakin University visit as students mount nationwide protests

Updated

The Prime Minister has cancelled a visit to Victoria's Deakin University due to security concerns, as students gear up for a day of nationwide protests against planned higher education changes.

Tony Abbott and Education Minister Christopher Pyne had been scheduled to attend the official opening of a carbon fibre research facility at the Geelong university today, but the trip was cancelled after advice from the Federal Police.

The National Union of Students has called for a national day of protest action today over the Government's proposed federal budget cuts to higher education and rising student fees.

Labor and Greens politicians will speak at the events in capital cities, while students in Melbourne and Sydney will light bonfires of budget papers in metal bins.

Mr Pyne told the ABC's Lateline that the AFP were concerned about his and the Prime Minister's safety should they attend the event in Geelong.

He also said the Prime Minister took the decision "so that students can get on with their studies unmolested by the Socialist Alternative".

"The advice from the Australian Federal Police was that they were concerned about our safety, but also that they were concerned about the safety of the innocent bystanders who might be impacted upon by the Socialist Alternative," Mr Pyne told Lateline.

"And it's a great shame, of course, in the modern era that this would be the case."

Socialist Alternative is a far left-wing organisation with Marxist views and a presence at universities around Australia. It is also the publisher of radical left-wing paper Red Flag.

National Union of Students president Deanna Taylor said the cancellation of the Prime Minister's visit was a missed opportunity for protesters to have their voices heard.

"If [Coalition frontbenchers] are there to sell a budget that will savage higher education, we're not going to cop it on the chin easily," she said.

On Monday, former Liberal MP Sophie Mirabella had to be escorted by police out of a lecture at Melbourne University after it was disrupted by protesters.

It followed a similar incident at Sydney University last Friday when Foreign Minister Julie Bishop was mobbed by students who were angry about planned changes to higher education.

Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young has criticised the Prime Minister for cancelling his appearance at Deakin.

Abbott cancels visit to Uni... Who was is that said they didn't want a wimp for a minister? abc.net.au/news/2014-05-2…

— sarah hanson-young (@sarahinthesen8) May 21, 2014

Students have a right to distrust PM: NSU

Rowan Payne from the Deakin University student association and a member of the National Union of Students told ABC News Breakfast that the Prime Minister's cancellation showed protesters had achieved their aims.

"Tony Abbott represents a massive threat to university students across the country and he's only coming on to campus to sell a radical new budget that will prevent access to tertiary education for students," he said.

"This budget represents the biggest changes to the tertiary education sector since the introduction of HECS.

Mr Payne said Mr Abbott was not going to the campus to open a dialogue with students and that students have a right to distrust him.

"I think he's here on campus to sell his new budget," he said.

"The glory days of free education in this country have been slashed and it looks like things are only going to get worse.

"So I think it's understandable that students are incredibly upset about what's happening, and these demonstrations show just how angry students are."

University protesters gather

Teachers and students at the University of Technology Sydney have already gathered to protest against the uncapping of university fees.

Sorry, this video has expired Video: UTS students prepare to stage budget protest (ABC News)

Picket lines of staff and students have formed at various entrances across the university campus, disrupting those trying to get to class.

The deputy vice chancellor says students who do not attend class today will not be penalised.

Staff want the the Government to reconsider budget cuts and for university management to press their case.

The University of New South Wales says it supports the Government's plan for deregulation.

Deputy vice chancellor Professor Ian Martins says changing fees is the best way to improve Australia's university system.

Sydney students have been warned by police not to disrupt traffic on George Street.

Topics: abbott-tony, university-and-further-education, government-and-politics, federal-government, federal---state-issues, geelong-3220

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