NZ's education price pull

The trip was motivated by the growing financial gap between Australian and NZ tertiary studies following the Federal Government's announcement of plans to deregulate university fees.

The decision is expected to cause tuition fees for agriculture studies to spike by more than 40 per cent.

The Lincoln University, NZ, representatives' visit came as rural students wanting to study at urban-based universities were slapped with another potential cash blow through changes to relocation scholarships for rural-based students announced in the Federal Budget.

If passed, the changes will mean the tax-free grant will instead be added to the regionally based students' HECS debt, which will include loan interest.

Lincoln University animal breeding and genetics professor Jon Hickford and student liaison officer Sophie Prangnell visited the Australian Sheep & Wool Show to promote careers in agriculture and discuss the growing urban and rural divide being amplified by city universities.

"A recent report released in NZ looked at what we need in terms of a workforce in the next 10 years to sustain and grow primary industry," Mr Hickford said.

"The figures are quite frightening in terms of just replacements, without going into growing the industry in NZ, and we have every reason to believe that would be reflective in Australia.

"Attracting students is a big issue, and while I don't know the size of the impact to Australian agriculture industry yet, it is clear that industry built around farms will be compromised because they won't get the skilled people they need."

He said while the student drought had been long in the making, the recent changes being pushed by the Australian Government would further erode uptake into agriculture.

"The Federal Government is making it more costly for students to study tertiary education in Australia," Mr Hickford said.

"The subsidy fees are going and the Federal Budget is suggesting that ag will become more expensive to study at universities – that seems to be completely counter-intuitive to attract people into ag."

The visit was also used to encourage students to study agriculture at the respected Lincoln University, which Mr Hickford said had already seen a growing increase of Australian students crossing the ditch for a cheaper degree.

"It has been reported that degrees in agriculture will cost between $97,000 and $112,000 in Australia – with the proposed (deregulation of fees) increases – while that same degree in NZ will cost $60,000," Mr Hickford said.

"While it is money for jam for us, there is a sadder background story for the industry."

Mr Hickford quoted the Council of Agricultural Deans' report released in Australia that stated the demand for more than 4000 jobs annually in agriculture was being challenged by only 800 graduates nationally.

"We can't address the whole problem; the Australian Government needs to realise the impact to what they are doing – and longer term this is not good for ag anywhere," he said.

"The perception of ag will always be milking cows, skinning sheep and working in the dust with flies but the reality is there are so many more opportunities."