Jason Clare (Blaxland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Education) Share this | Hansard source

Here's the point that makes this relevant: we want to cut student debt by 20 per cent. They want students and Aussie workers to pay for their boss's lunch, and that's how that would make them worse off to the tune of $1.6 billion a year. That's a lot of steak tartare. That's a lot of lobster. I think that, when a lot of Australians find out about this—a lot of Aussie students and a lot of Aussie workers—they'll be pretty angry about it. Their hard-earned money is going to pay for all of this.

I'd say that, over the next few months as people go to cafes and restaurants and see someone pull out a credit card, they've got to think for themselves that, if the Liberals win the next election, that could be them and their tax dollars having to pay for all of that. The choice at the next election is very clear. We'll cut your debt; they want you to pay for your boss's lunch. Under the Labor Party, we'll cut your student debt by 20 per cent to help you get started and help build Australia's future. Under the Liberal Party, they will leave all Australians worse off and left to pick up the boss's bill.

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