The Australian reports that nation-wide demand for university places this year has risen by 1.5%, reversing the trend of the last 2 years. Tasmania has seen the biggest increase in demand -- an impressively large 28.8% (now standing at 5,249 places). Victorian demand increased by 3.6% (now at 58,149 places).

Some states have not been a part of this increase, namely Western Australia and Queensland. Applications in those states fell by 3.2% and 2.7% respectively. It is interesting to note that Julie Bishop is pleased with the 1.5% nation-wide increase, but dismissive of the larger (in percentage terms) declines in these two states, referring to "strong job markets" in those states (implying, I assume, that all other states and territories have "weak job markets").

My own opinion is that these figures are not very impressive. All things being equal, demand for university places should rise each year simply because our population is growing. It would be interesting to compare these figures to the increase (or decrease) in the number of university age and mature age populations over the same years (2004-2006).