Jenny Macklin (Jagajaga, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. Is the Prime Minister aware that, according to figures from the Department of Education, Science and Training, there was a drop of almost 10 per cent in the number of year 12 completers going on to university or vocational education between 2000 and 2004? With almost 100 degrees costing young Australians over $100,000, is it any wonder that the number of students completing year 12 going on to university has plummeted? Why has the Howard government made it so much more expensive for young people to go to university and turned 300,000 young Australians away from TAFE at a time when the Australian economy needs 20,000 scientists and engineers and 100,000 extra tradespeople?

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