Uni fee rises spark national protests.

(From Canberra Times)

Students in cities across Australia attended rallies yesterday to protest against the Federal Government's higher education policies and fee increases at universities.

More than 100 people attended a peaceful rally in Garema Place, but rallies in Sydney and Melbourne ended in violence.

Numerous speakers at the Civic rally condemned the Howard Government's higher education reform Bill that Parliament passed late last year. The Bill allows universities to increase fees by 25 per cent. The speakers said universities did not receive enough funding or support and pledged to continue opposing the Government in the lead-up to the next …