Education Minister Christopher Pyne has warned the Senate that 1700 research jobs will be scrapped if he doesn't get his way on uncapping university fees. The tactic was immediately condemned as "toxic, reckless politics at its worst" and led to calls for Mr Pyne to leave behind his student politics ways.
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Mr Pyne upped the stakes on Sunday telling the ABC the crossbenchers' decision will cost Australian researchers their jobs, because their positions are to be funded by the money saved from deregulating university fees. The legislation is set to be voted down again when it is put to the Senate this week.
"There are consequences for not voting for this reform and that's very important for the crossbenchers to understand," Mr Pyne said.
"The consequences are that potentially seventeen hundred researchers will lose their jobs," he said.
But Independent Senator Nick Xenophon lashed out at Mr Pyne's tactic and described it as "toxic reckless politics at its worst".
"Memo to Christopher – you're not in student politics anymore," Senator Xenophon told Fairfax Media.
"The research fund and the university reform should never have been linked in the first place," he said.
Senator Xenophon supports reform to the sector but not the government's current model. He will support an increase in fees of up to 15 per cent, subject to an independent review that has cross party support.
Mr Pyne is vowing to "fight right through to the vote", which is expected on Wednesday, and says everything except the centerpiece of uncapped university fees is on the table. But the majority of crossbench Senators remain opposed to the policy as well as Labor, meaning the legislation is destined to fail for a second time.
"If the crossbenchers vote against the savings they can't expect the government to come up with the spending," the Minister added.
Mr Pyne insisted he is only "contemplating victory," and not contemplating how he would react if his legislation is rejected a second time.
The Opposition's Senate Leader Penny Wong described the Government's threat to sack scientists as "holding the nation to ransom".
"It is pretty extraordinary too, isn't it, that Christopher Pyne is holding the Senate and the nation to ransom by refusing to fund the science and research collaboration effort, refusing to release funds for that beyond the end of this financial year if the bill doesn't pass.
"It really does say something about this Government's bullying approach to public policy," Senator Wong told the ABC.
Mr Pyne said he was hopeful that Senator Glenn Lazarus' dramatic departure from the Palmer United Party would leave Senator Dio Wang, the last remaining PUP Senator free to vote in line with his private view, which is in favour of deregulation. But Senator Wang told the Financial Review on Saturday that would not be changing his mind.
Independent Jacqui Lambie remains opposed but is in hospital and will be on sick leave this week meaning her vote against the bill will be paired with a Government supporting vote.
Motoring Enthusiast Senator Ricky Muir's position that the Government should seek a mandate at the next election before taking the bills to the Parliament again remains unchanged.
