2023-06-01
Australian Greens Deputy Leader and Education spokesperson Senator Mehreen Faruqi has slammed the Labor Government, who are today responsible for the biggest increase in student debt in more than three decades.
Senator Faruqi said:
“Millions of people are worse off today and the blame is solely with Labor, who blocked the Greens’ attempts to stop this student debt indexation from happening and who have ignored desperate pleas for relief.
“The Greens have been pushing tirelessly for the Government to step in and save Australians from this student debt bomb that has been waiting to detonate. I first introduced a bill in the senate to remove indexation and raise the minimum repayment income more than 6 months ago.
“My heart breaks for the many who will suffer the long-term effects of this patently unjust student debt increase. People are already being locked out of the housing market, denied personal loans and rethinking dreams of further study because of soaring student debt and things will only get worse because of Labor.
“Young people deserve better than a Government who sits idly by and watches their pain and suffering as their debt burden balloons. Education should not be a debt sentence.
“The student loan system is broken. It’s time to wipe all student debt and make TAFE and Uni free. That’s what the Greens are fighting for.”