University of Melbourne vice-chancellor Glyn Davis told The Age: ''I think the whole sector has been disappointed at this suggestion … at a time when we really are trying to get more Australians into universities,'' he said. ''I would hope that if elected, an Abbott government would look again at the equity provisions and see that there's benefit in helping people.''

Victoria University vice-chancellor Elizabeth Harman said she was also concerned at the scrapping of programs that assisted students from areas such as Melbourne's west. ''VU supports these programs on the grounds of social equity and social justice. Australia is in need of greater skills in the labour force and everybody deserves the chance of a good education and a good job,'' she said.

The Coalition also proposes to take more than $1 billion from the Education Investment Fund - set up to fund buildings for universities and TAFE colleges - to pay for technical colleges, internet services and changes to youth allowance.

The Australian Technology Network of universities, which includes RMIT, said this was a ''retrograde step'' and that the fund should not be regarded as ''a slush fund to be raided at the whim of a political party in an election campaign''.

Australian Primary Principals Association president Leonie Trimper said principals would be ''totally opposed''to the proposed cuts to support for poor schools. ''If the Coalition aims to find some savings, they're now looking in the wrong place,'' she said.