Alannah Mactiernan (Perth, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

They now need to, on their very low income, enter into a loan! Obviously this makes this a much more unattractive proposition. I find it extraordinary that you cannot see that. Of course, they can go and take out a loan!

I do not know whether you expect that hairdressers, once graduated, will be earning anything like doctors and lawyers. I suspect not. This whole proposal is predicated on treating trade training like university education because people who have university educations, the argument goes, make 75 per cent above the average earnings, so they can afford to pay these higher contributions. That is why we are asking them to repay more money more quickly.

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