IS Education Minister Christopher Pyne banging his head against a brick wall? Or will his persistence pay off?
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The federal government made university deregulation one of the key planks of the 2014 budget and has argued it is essential for the financial future of tertiary education.
However, one by one, most of the other controversial measures in last year’s budget have toppled over like dominoes.
Medicare co-payment? Gone. Six month dole freeze? Gone. Aged care indexation change? Gone. Car industry cutbacks? Gone.
The only contentious budget plank left is university deregulation and it is highly unlikely to pass the Senate.
Labor and the Greens steadfastly oppose the move. Independent senators Nick Xenophon and John Madigan claim the changes are unfair. Palmer United senator Dio Wang has been told by his boss to not support the deal.
Likely supporters — Family First senator Bob Day and Liberal Democrat senator David Leyonhelm — are wavering.
Independent senator Jacqui Lambie was in hospital with a bad back but said in a pre-recorded television message that she would haul herself out of bed to personally vote against the move.
So is the problem university deregulation or the Education Minister himself?
With his carefully coiffured hairdo and cut-glass Adelaide accent, Mr Pyne is not a popular figure among the voting public. It appears his salesmanship is also poorly received among Senate crossbenchers.
Mr Pyne looked foolish when, on Sunday, he threatened to pull vital science funding if he didn’t get his way, then on Monday backed away from his ultimatum.
He followed this about-face with a cringeworthy interview on Sky News where he dubbed himself “a fixer” of Senate blockages.
Political observers are wondering why Mr Pyne is persisting with the deregulation bill when it faces almost certain defeat in the upper house.
Maybe Mr Pyne lives by the old TINA principle — There is No Alternative.