Students disappointed with any cuts to HECS discount fees

06th May 2011

MEDIA RELEASE:

Students disappointed with any cuts to HECS discount fees

The Tasmania University Union expresses its dismay at the possibility of Federal Governments plans to cut the HECS discount that students receive when they pay their fees upfront. The government yesterday refused to confirm a reported budget leak that it will cut the HECS upfront payment discount from 20 per cent to just 10 per cent.

TUU State President Saleh Bintalib said “What this move will do is simply reduce the number of upfront payments and burden the students with much more debt in the future.”

Mr Bintalib went on to say “This is another move that is consistent with this Governments seemingly lack of support for higher education. Any profit gained from the cuts to the HECS discount should be invested in the chronically underfunded higher education system and the delivery of a better Youth Allowance system for students.”

Mr Bintalib concluded by saying “Again we understand the need to make cuts to return the budget to surplus but students or the higher education sector should not have to bear the brunt of it.”

For further comments please contact
Saleh O Bintalib
TUU State Wide President
salehb@utas.edu.au
6226 2853 / 0409 958 158