Fed: Lees takes swipe at old party over uni talks

AAP General News (Australia)
12-04-2003
Fed: Lees takes swipe at old party over uni talks

By Denis Peters

CANBERRA, Dec 4 AAP - Echoes of past enmities within the Australian Democrats emerged
today on the fringes of tense negotiations over the government's higher education reform
package.

Former Democrat senator Meg Lees, now the sole parliamentary member of the Australian
Progressive Alliance, today took offence at a statement by the Democrats' higher education
spokeswoman.

That just happens to be Senator Natasha Stott Despoja, the woman who took over leadership
of the Democrats from Senator Lees.

Continuing differences between the two led Senator Lees to later leave the party.

Senator Lees today objected to comments in The Australian newspaper attributed to Senator
Stott Despoja.

"The Australian Democrats accused the independents of selling out to a `cheap, shoddy
deal'," the article said.

"`The debate is now a sham. The independents, despite their protestations, are not
willing to entertain amendments by the Democrats and other parties which would have addressed
fundamental flaws in the legislation'."

Senator Lees, in the midst of intense negotiations between Education Minister Brendan
Nelson and the four independent senators whose votes he needs for the bill to pass, said
the legislation now to go before the Senate was a major improvement on the status quo.

"I am surprised that the Democrats were unable to support other cross bench senators
on this issue," Senator Lees said in a statement.

"Perhaps the Democrats are simply unaware of the level of intrusion which exists under
the current Act. In which case I can only advise they get themselves some better research.

"An accusation about a deal being done with government is also pre-emptive at best
and ill informed at worst."

Senator Lees said the Democrats had participated in long negotiations with the government
on Medicare without coming under fire from the four cross-bench senators.

"In fact, (Democrats leader) Senator (Andrew) Bartlett stated in the chamber yesterday
how disappointed he is with those who criticise any attempt at negotiation with government,"

she said.

"It is a shame that the leader's principles have not been applied to his own senators."

AAP dep/sb/rcg/jlw

KEYWORD: UNIVERSITIES LEES

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