Youth struggle: HECS-HELP index hike writes Hughes MP Jenny Ware
MP JENNY WARE
THIS week Hughes MP Jenny Ware looks at youth struggles including U-Go buses, HECS-HELP debts indexation hike and casual work.
“First the shambolic state of our local bus services throughout the Sutherland Shire. Since Transport for NSW appointed U-Go Mobility to run our public bus services, more than 430 trips have been cancelled according to the Department's own statement.
“Our local families rely heavily on public transport to ensure that our children arrive at school and home safely and on time.
“I have been inundated by constituents' concerns about this operation. I was appalled to hear that school students, some as young as seven years old, have been left at bus stops or abandoned kilometres from their school or home.
“As a mother of school-aged children (who catch this service to and from school) my family has been impacted by this highly inadequate service. I call upon the NSW Minister for Transport to urgently intervene and rectify this situation.
“As I move around the electorate, more and more of our younger Australians have spoken to me about the HECS-HELP system. This is the Federal Study Assist program for financing tertiary study.
“Recently, over three million Australians experienced a rise in their student debt as a result of 7.1 per cent indexation applied by the Labor Government. This increase is the highest in over three decades, where an average debt of $25,000 increased overnight by $1,775.
“This is another example of escalating cost of living pressures on Australians, particularly Australians in their 20s. Enormous HECs debts are one of the major barriers to our younger Australians' capability to enter the housing market.
“Reports into housing affordability cite enormous HECS-HELPS debts as a major factor preventing younger Australians from entering the housing market. In the electorate of Hughes, there are 17,449 people with an outstanding HECS-HELP debt balance, totalling over $455 million.
“In Opposition, we have called on the Albanese Labor Government to repay those Australians who have been hit with indexation penalties on student loans that they have already paid off. This is clearly a gross injustice.
“It is apparent that the HECS-HELP system requires urgent reform. Particularly, the system indexes debt without taking into account loan repayments made during the financial year.
“It is completely inequitable that so many Australian students, particularly younger Australians, are being gouged on their HECS- HELP loans.
“Following questioning by Senator Sarah Henderson, Federal Education Minister Jason Clare has now been forced to reconsider the Government's position.
“At this stage, he has merely ordered another review when the Government has known for at least 12 months that this indexation hike was on the way. This requires urgent change to provide relief for our younger Australians, who should not be financially punished for pursuing a university education.
“Now that I am back in Canberra for a Parliamentary sitting fortnight, one of the issues I am focused on is the industrial relations legislation proposed by the Albanese Labor Government relating to the changes to casual work arrangements.
“Whilst lacking in detail, it appears that the legislation will mandate reclassification of casual employees as permanent workers. Small and medium businesses, which employ about 80 per cent of casual workers in Australia, prefer that the industrial relations system remains flexible, with employers able to make decisions for their own businesses.
“Similarly most employees that have spoken to me are happy with the current arrangement where they receive loading in lieu of leave whilst retaining their flexibility around when they work.
“This is a system that is working. This is unnecessary Federal Government intervention in employer-employee relations.
“When I am back from Canberra, the Hughes Listening Tour will resume through mobile offices throughout our suburbs. Keep an eye on my Facebook page for times and dates - facebook.com/ JennyWare4Hughes. always, share what matters to you via email Jenny.Ware.MP@aph.gov.au, or call my office on 9521 6262.”