Mehreen Faruqi (NSW, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

by leave—I move Australian Greens amendments (1) and (2) on sheet 3140 together:

(1) Clause 2, page 2 (after table item 6), insert:

(2) Page 28 (after line 10), after Schedule 1, insert:

Schedule 1A — Reduction of AASL, HELP, SSL, FS and VETSL debts

Australian Apprenticeship Support Loans Act 2014

1 At the end of Part 3.1

Add:

38A Rules must discharge an amount of accumulated AASL debts

(1) The rules must provide that an accumulated AASL debt that a person incurs on 1 June 2025 is discharged by 20%.

(2) Rules made for the purposes of subsection (1) have effect despite any other provision of this Act.

Higher Education Support Act 2003

2 At the end of Subdivision 140-C

Add:

140-45 Reduction of accumulated HELP debts on 2 June 2025

(1) If a person incurs an *accumulated HELP debt on 1 June 2025 for that financial year, then, on 2 June 2025, the person's accumulated HELP debt for that financial year is taken to have been discharged by an amount that is worked out in accordance with the following formula:

The amount of the person's accumulated HELP debt on 1 June 2025 x 0.2

(2) Subsection (1) has effect despite any other provision of this Act, other than section 140-30 (which deals with the rounding of amounts).

Social Security Act 1991

3 At the end of Part 2AA.3

Add:

1061ZVEG Minister must discharge an amount of accumulated SSL debts

(1) The Minister must, by legislative instrument, provide that an accumulated SSL debt that a person incurs on 1 June 2025 is discharged by 20%.

(2) An instrument made for the purposes of subsection (1) has effect despite any other provision of this Act.

4 At the end of Part 2B.3

Add:

1061ZZFPA Minister must discharge an amount of accumulated FS debts

(1) The Minister must, by legislative instrument, provide that an accumulated FS debt that a person incurs on 1 June 2025 is discharged by 20%.

(2) An instrument made for the purposes of subsection (1) has effect despite any other provision of this Act.

VET Student Loans Act 2016

5 At the end of Division 3 of Part 3A

Add:

23CG Rules must discharge an amount of accumulated VETSL debts

(1) The rules must provide that an accumulated VETSL debt that a person incurs on 1 June 2025 is discharged by 20%.

(2) Rules made for the purposes of subsection (1) have effect despite any other provision of this Act.

These amendments are about legislating what Labor has pledged recently. That is, to wipe 20 per cent of all student debt. After years of pressure from the Greens, Labor is finally starting to adopt Greens policies by pledging to wipe some student debt but obviously too slowly and too cynically. I say slowly because it's only 20 per cent and I say cynically because they won't do it right now.

Labor has brought in a bill for fee-free TAFE places, and legislating that now is a good thing. But it only starts in 2027. This pledge, to reduce 20 per cent of the student debt when student debt is spiralling, should be legislated right now. There is absolutely no justification for Labor to wait until after the election to legislate this pledge. What they're doing is cruel. It is cruel to dangle student debt relief as an enticement to win votes. People can see right through it. People are sick and tired of being used as pawns in this political game. In the absence of the government bringing in legislation to do this, we are moving this amendment right now to the Universities Accord Bill because Labor doesn't want to give assurance to students and graduates, whose debts have shackled them. It takes a lifetime to pay off this debt. This is a chance for Labor to show that they actually care about people struggling under the weight of student debt.

I hope that Labor can support their own policy today, and I commend the amendment to the Senate.