news, regional-focus

Source: THE AGE The ABC TV show Q&A had to temporarily abandon its live broadcast on Monday night after a group of students in the audience began to protest about education funding. About 20 minutes into the program, the students launched a series of questions aimed at federal Education Minister Christopher Pyne, before unfurling a banner over the set where he was sitting. The questions focused on Mr Pyne's proposed changes to higher education, which would entail increased competition from private colleges and higher fees. When the students unfurled the banner, drawing attention to a rally to be held at the University of Technology, Sydney, the live broadcast was suddenly abandoned. The show cut to an old episode, featuring a performance by Katie Noonan, while the students were evicted from ABC1's Ultimo studios. The producers have since returned to the live broadcast. The protest provoked an instant reaction on social media and sparked a debate about democracy and how host Tony Jones had handled the protest. Guest panelist Anna Burke, a Labor MP, defended the students' actions, saying that she herself had benefited greatly from a free higher education. However Jones rebuked the students, describing the ambush as undemocratic and unruly. Australian Liberal Students' Federation spokesperson Matthew Lesh condemned the disruption to the debate that had been taking place on the show. "This demonstration displays the willingness of the extreme left to use disruptive and ferocious methods" Mr Lesh sid. “Tonight’s protests are an embarrassment to students, and do not in any sense represent the regular student body." A number of Twitter users have praised the students' efforts in drawing attention to the higher education cuts and criticised their forced removal from the studio. But others disagreed, saying the unruly protest was damaging their cause. "The riot on #qanda is indicative of how deeply Australians feel about the destruction of education the Abbott Govt is inflicting on us," Education commentator Maralyn Parker tweeted. Protester Brigitte Garozzo tweeted that the outburst was driven by anger at Mr Pyne's proposed deregulation plans. "Stop deregulating our universities and we wouldn't have to protest like this. YOU DONT LISTEN," she wrote. She said the protest was organised by the Education Action Group from the University of Sydney, not the Socialist Alternative. Follow us on Twitter

https://nnimgt-a.akamaihd.net/transform/v1/crop/frm/silverstone-feed-data/ae6f3ffd-0c77-4cfd-9b64-c8b5434a9e7b.jpg/r0_0_419_237_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg