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Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott has canceled his trip to Deakin University in Melbourne on Wednesday in consideration of security reasons, while angry students gathered to protest against budget cuts to education.
Abbott was scheduled to attend an event at Deakin university together with Education Minister Christopher Pyne, but eventually decided to cancel the trip at the suggestion of federal police.
The National Union of Students and National Tertiary Education Union have called for a national wide protest over the government' s proposed budget cuts to higher education and floating tuition fee.
Around 2,000 people, mostly indignant students, rallied at the door steps of Victoria's State Library to demonstrate their anger over the budget cuts, chanting "no cuts, no fees, no corporate universities".
At the rally, a speaker of the protesters said that this is just the beginning of a series of actions against budget cuts.
Later in the day, hundreds of protesters holding placards above their heads marched through Melbourne's CBD and then staged a sit- in outside the Parliament House under monitor of police.
A brief clash between protesters and the police line was witnessed on the scene before the protesters were removed.
Deanna Taylor, president of the National Union of Students said the prime minister had missed an opportunity to hear what the protesters want to express.
The Australian Coalition government has announced its first Budget, the Budget 2014, in which the Treasurer Joe Hockey outlined a harsh cut to higher education and allow tuition fees to float freely.
