Community groundswell 'forced Labor's hand' Tertiary Education Minister Craig Emerson outlines the plan to cut funding for higher education by $2 billion. Picture: Kym Smith Source: News Limited LABOR'S about-turn on higher education funding cuts was prompted by a community groundswell that included its own members and probably its MPs, the Greens say. Higher education spokeswoman Lee Rhiannon said the decision to oppose the $2.3 billion cuts - proposed by then higher education minister Craig Emerson, as a way of funding the Gonski schooling reforms - was unprecedented. "Back in April Mr Emerson was spruiking why these cuts were essential," Senator Rhiannon said. We'd be hard-pressed to find when there has been such a change, after Labor had pushed it so hard and linked it to other policies. Senator Rhiannon said some Labor members had always been against the cuts, and this had become apparent during last week's grassroots campaign involving the Greens, students and National Tertiary Education Union. She said the campaign had touched a chord, with people in 27 electorates phoning their MPs and prising open a pre-existing rift in caucus ranks. Labor higher education spokesman Kim Carr wouldn't be drawn on MPs" private views when the cuts were originally proposed. But he said the decision to oppose them now had been "canvassed widely for weeks and weeks." "I've been extensively lobbied on this course of action," Senator Carr said. But Senator Rhiannon said a Labor faction had "never liked the cuts," and community action had strengthened its hand. Kim Carr could have made this announcement quite a while ago. But he made it a week after a very strong campaign had kicked in. Senator Rhiannon said Labor had "caught itself a bit" with its U-turn. But they're in opposition and it's time to get rid of those bad policies. Public education (is) not something you use as an ATM when you're running out of money elsewhere. National Tertiary Education Union president Jeannie Rea said academics and students would be "delighted" at Labor's new position. But the Australian Technology Network of Universities said it was concerned that Labor's change of heart remained "linked to the issue of school funding." Executive director Vicki Thomson said school funding should not come at the expense of tertiary education, and university funding should be driven by "common sense and not political one-upmanship." Senator Rhiannon said the cuts would not proceed under the current Senate. But she acknowledged that the incoming Senate, to take over next July, was an "unknown." However she pointed out that Palmer United Party boss Clive Palmer, a likely kingmaker in the next Senate, had pledged to abolish tertiary education fees during the election campaign. "It'll be interesting to see where they take that," she said.