What does local Federal Labor MP, Justine Elliot, think of the expected increase of HECS loans, which are set to soar by 4.7 per cent on June 1?
The Australia Institute says the federal government collects more in HECS repayments annually than it does in tax from oil and gas, and experts say hiking those taxes could pay down the HECS debt within three years.
The Echo asked Mrs Elliot, ‘Do you support a full 10 per cent tax on oil, gas, and coal exports – without loopholes – to pay off the entire HECS debt within three years?’
Her spokesperson replied that she endorses recent comments on the matter by the Labor prime minister.
On April 18, a reporter asked PM Anthony Albanese whether it was unfair that the younger generation are having to pay back HECS at credit card interest rates, whereas before it was one per cent.
The reporter also asked, ‘What’s the incentive to go to university anymore?’
PM Albanese said, ‘There’s a range of areas where we need to do much better with the younger generation basically, and HECs is one of them’.
PM Albanese also said, ‘The idea of HECs is a good one. It’s one that has led to a massive expansion, the number of people being able to do university degrees’.
‘We’ve introduced fee free TAFE that benefited over 300,000 people last year. So that’s making an enormous difference in the vet sector’.
Free uni 1974–1989
From 1974 until 1989, tertiary education was free for students, with many current and retired politicians benefitting from the Labor initiative.
PM Albanese added the government is examining the recommendations of a universities accord review, ‘and we’ll be making announcements pretty soon’.
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