2019-07-01
Australian Greens Senator and Education Spokesperson, Dr Mehreen Faruqi, has said that today's changes to study and training loan repayment thresholds will negatively affect low income workers.
From July 1, 2019, the new minimum HELP repayment threshold will be $45,881, down from $51,957 in 2018-19.
Senator Faruqi said:
"The Liberal-National Government's attacks on low income workers continue with the threshold for repaying student loans dropping significantly. That means more people will start repaying loans just when they are starting out in their career and need money the most. That’s completely unacceptable.
"This is a mean-spirited Government intent on squeezing young people who are already struggling with low wages and the high cost of living.
"We need to rethink the whole system of student debt. No one should graduate with a decade of debt ahead of them. Australians have seen the benefits of free education, and we can have them again," she concluded.