The National Union of Students condemns the changes to higher education proposed in the 2017- 2018 federal budget and urges all cross benchers to vote against these measures. Women will be severely affected by the projected $2.8 billion dollar cut to the higher education sector and the proposed decrease to the HECS repayment threshold to $42,000.
“Since the Liberals came into government in 2013, Australia has dropped from 19th to 46th place in the Global Gender Gap Report. We also know that on average women earn $700,000 less during our lifetime than our male counterparts.” Said NUS Women’s Officer Abby Stapleton
“Lowering the HECS repayment threshold will further exacerbate financial inequality in Australia; because women earn less than men, we have less fiscal capacity to pay back debt, but will be forced to pay it back earlier.” Said Stapleton.
Under the proposed changes to the HECS repayment threshold more than 180,000 new graduates will be forced to start paying back debt sooner, 62% of these debtors will be women. These cuts are careless and will see more women pushed into poverty.
“Nothing about this budget is good for the women of Australia; for young women aspiring to enter higher education this is creating an even bigger barrier to the already archaic treatment of women by this Government.” Said NUS President, Sophie Johnston
“It’s become increasingly clear the the Liberal party have an anti woman agenda, the government can find room to give big businesses at $50 billion dollar tax cut but will rip funding out of the higher education sector and see more students and women condemned to a lifetime of debt.” – said Stapleton
It is not in the Liberal’s DNA to put students first, we want a fair, accessible higher education system and we won’t stop fighting until we get it. The NUS women’s department is encouraging women students to attend the National Day of Action on May 17th to protest this anti – student budget.
Sophie Johnston National President | National Union of Students
