The National Union of Students (NUS) has the support of the National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU) for their day of national protest on Wednesday 17 May against the federal budget.
Students across the country are expected to turn out to protests on campus and rallies in major cities in opposition to the fee increases for students and funding cuts to universities.
NUS education officer Anneke Demanuele said that the HECS-HELP fee increases along with the cut to the loan repayment income threshold are particularly unfair when at the same time the rich get a tax break.
“Low income graduates will be hit with a larger tax bill thanks to the federal budget. With an increased Medicare levy and our debt repayments starting earlier, we could be paying more than $900 extra in tax every year,” said Demanuele.
“Students are rightly outraged about this, especially considering those earning over $180,000 are set to get a tax break when the deficit levy expires. We can’t understand how the government can claim this budget is fair when students are being forced to foot the bill, while putting more money into the pockets of wealthy.
“Companies too are set to be big winners out of the budget, with tax cuts costing $65 billion over the next 10 years,” concluded Demanuele.
“The Turnbull Government’s plan is to have students pay more for their degrees, but none of this money goes into the universities,” said NTEU National President, Jeannie Rea.
“The proposed HECS HELP fee increases mean the government is withdrawing their investment in higher education at the cost of the next generation, when Australia already has the second lowest public investment in higher education according to the OECD.
“To add to the insult, at the same time the plan is to impose two years of 2.5% efficiency dividends on universities’ teaching grants, which will impact upon student’s education, as universities cut staff.
“Already the evidence is that up to 70% of classes in some courses are taught by academics employed casually for just a few hours a week, and universities rely upon academic and professional staff commitment to their students to work thousands of unpaid hours.
“Unfortunately students can expect bigger classes, course and class cuts, more casualised staff and less staff support if these changes are implemented.
“That is why the NTEU is supporting the students in their protest actions and encouraging participation in the rallies,” concluded Rea.
Rally sites 17th May:
MELBOURNE: 2PM State Library (https://www.facebook.com/events/422595264768931/) SYDNEY: USYD: 12PM Fisher Library (https://www.facebook.com/events/290935868025879
UNSW: 2PM Library Lawns (https://www.facebook.com/events/1849734655286222/) CANBERRA:12:30PM ANU Union Court (https://www.facebook.com/events/1811870955799949/) BRISBANE: 1PM King Georges Square (https://www.facebook.com/events/679495238903526/)
15th May
ADELAIDE: 3PM South Australian Parliament (https://www.facebook.com/events/ 430892670596716/)
PERTH: 2PM Murray St Mall (https://www.facebook.com/events/751640921670712/)
Sophie Johnston National President | National Union of Students