Greens Deputy Leader and Higher Education Spokesperson has responded to recently released student contribution rates which reveal a standard three year arts degree will cost around $51,000 while a law degree will cost around $85,000.
Senator Mehreen Faruqi:
“The Albanese government’s refusal to scrap the disgraceful, punitive fee hikes of the Coalition’s job-ready graduates package is making the student debt crisis much worse. Students are graduating with bigger and bigger debts.
“In opposition, Labor spoke a big game against the Morrison Government’s fee hikes for degrees like arts, business and law. In Government, they’ve shown their true colours, continuing the Coalition’s crusade against young people and students.
“Labor’s student debt relief policy is a bad joke. It still means student debts rising by 11.5% in their first term of Government and arts degrees costing over $50,000. That’s not a solution, that’s a disaster for people already crushed by a housing and cost of living crisis.
“Soaring student debt is already locking people out of the housing market, crushing dreams of further study and stopping people from starting a family, and Labor is making things worse.
“With the Albanese Government backing Morrison’s university fee hikes, and student debt ballooning out of control, young people are telling me that they’re finding it harder and harder to tell Labor and the Liberals apart.
“The Universities Accord Final Report was scathing in its assessment of the Job-ready Graduates package, stating that it was a failure that needs urgent remediation. The Government is completely ignoring this advice and students will pay the price for years to come.”