Watch FIFA World Cup 2026™

LIVE, FREE and EXCLUSIVE starting June 12 2026

'No fees, no cuts': Protesters storm education minister's Press Club address

Protesters have interrupted a speech being given by Education Minister Simon Birmingham at the National Press Club in Canberra.

Education Minister Simon Birmingham (right) as protesters stormed the stage at the National Press Club in Canberra
Education Minister Simon Birmingham (right) as protesters stormed the stage at the National Press Club in Canberra Source: SBS

Protesters have disrupted a speech by federal Education Minister Simon Birmingham just days after he unveiled a plan for higher university course fees and a lower income threshold for loan repayments.

"No fees, no cuts, no corporate universities," they chanted as they were pulled off the stage by security at the National Press Club in Canberra on Thursday.

Senator Birmingham was using the speech to defend scaling back university funding and requiring students to pay back their course loans sooner.

The minister brushed off the interruption, describing it as side entertainment.

"I think there has probably not been a year in the last few decades when we haven't seen university students protesting at some stage," he said.

News that makes sense

Your trusted source for staying up-to-date with the world around you. Get free daily news updates and analysis, straight to your inbox.

By subscribing, you agree to SBS’s terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS.

"It is part of the rite of passage of university students nowadays."

About 15 students in Adelaide also staged a protest outside the minister's electoral office.

Earlier in Sydney, a small group of university students briefly blocked traffic outside Malcolm Turnbull's electorate offices.

About 20 students initially tried to occupy the prime minister's office in Edgecliff but were stopped by half-a-dozen NSW police officers.

One student was dragged off after drawing devil horns on a glass window in front of a poster of Mr Turnbull, but was released within minutes after receiving a police warning.

The prime minister wasn't in Sydney on Thursday having flown to the United States for his first face-to-face with President Donald Trump.

WATCH: Catholic education sector upset at cuts


2 min read

Published

Updated

Source: AAP



Share this with family and friends


Get SBS News straight to your inbox

Sign up now for daily news from Australia and around the world. You can also subscribe to Insight's weekly newsletter for in-depth features and first-person stories.

By subscribing, you agree to SBS’s terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS.

Follow SBS News

Download our apps

Listen to our podcasts

Get the latest with our News podcasts on your favourite podcast apps.

Watch on SBS

SBS World News

Take a global view with Australia's most comprehensive world news service

Stream now

Watch the latest news videos from Australia and across the world