Marise Payne (NSW, Liberal Party, Minister for Human Services) Share this | Hansard source

I think the aspects around the vocational education and training opportunities within the package are very, very important. For example, we have a package here that strengthens the Higher Education Loan Program. No student needs to pay a cent up-front, and no-one needs to repay a cent until they are earning over $50,000 a year. The bill also abolishes the 20 per cent loan fee which full-fee-paying students in vocational education and training currently have to pay to borrow under VET FEE-HELP.

Senator Cormann interjecting—

.Minister Cormann is exactly right: how is that not a positive opportunity for all those students participating in the VET sector? Abolishing that VET loan fee will benefit around 80,000 VET students nationally each year and help them on average by $1,600. That is a major difference. If we are able to remove the loan fees, when the legislation progresses, it will particularly benefit low-SES students and ensure that all students are treated fairly— (Time expired)