Women students will be worse off at university following the announcement of a 2.8 million dollar cut to the higher education sector. NUS are appalled by the austerity of the 2017- 2018 budget and call on women students to join the fight on at the National Day of Action on May 17th.
Despite women making up 56% of all enrolled university students, the total earnings nationwide for women is only $52,000 compared with $72,000 for men. The government have proposed lowering the HECS repayment threshold from $56,000 to $42,000, this will disproportionately affect women, and push more single mothers and young women into poverty.
“Lowering the HECS repayment threshold will only further enhance financial inequality in Australia, The Liberal party have indicated where their priorities lie, and it is not with women students . While students face enormous attacks, big businesses are given a $50 billion dollar tax cut. This will severely affect women and jeopardise our future and financial security.”
Decreasing the HECS repayment threshold plus the existing gender pay gap that already exists for women in Australia means less superannuation, less savings, less likelihood of owning a home, less access to health care and education and an increased rate of poverty. It is clear that the Liberals have an anti – woman agenda.
“The fact that in 2017 women are still locked out of the workforce and paid less than men is outrageous and this Government budget is only going to perpetuate that disadvantage.” Said Sophie Johnston, NUS President.
The NUS Women’s department strongly urges all women to sign the petition as part of the NUS ‘Stop the war on students’ campaign. We need to send a clear message to the government and urge them to repeal these disastrous education cuts.
Sign below:
www.megaphone.org.au/petitions/stop-the-war-on-students
Sophie Johnston, National President | National Union of Students
