Chris Bowen (Prospect, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

The dumb but rich clause, as my friend the honourable member for Grayndler says, very appropriately. Dr Nelson is the one who said that you can study as hard as you like, but if you miss out on a degree by a couple of points in your HSC or your matriculation studies in your home state, bad luck, but if you happen to come from a wealthy family and you can stump up $200,000, then in you go—it doesn’t matter what your HSC result was. That is a matter of some shame for this government.

So we have this government abolishing a student loans scheme, replacing it with a much less satisfactory scheme, increasing HECS debts and introducing full fees. We now have 60 university degrees across the country which you can purchase for $100,000, but this government is abolishing a scheme which enabled students to supplement their income with small loans of $3,500 a year, but loans which were significant in allowing people to continue their studies.

Labor will continue to oppose this legislation. I call on senators in the other place to oppose this legislation. I call on them to show some independence from their Liberal Party masters, to stand up for their constituents in rural and regional areas and make a difference for the benefit of young Australians doing their best to further their education.

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