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Articles on HECS

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The idea of adding student income support to their HELP debt has been floated, but student debt is already high. Shutterstock

Student debt costs are an obstacle to new student loans

A Grattan Institute report I co-authored highlights student debt costs, with the finding that the government could save $800 million a year by retrieving unpaid debts from deceased estates and students…
Would selling the student loan debt really be such a bad thing? www.shutterstock.com.au

How selling off student debt will affect students: it won’t

The cost of the national student loan debt held by the federal government has gathered pace to pop the A$30 billion mark, perpetuating rumours that a debt sale could be on the cards. Should that happen…
Higher education costs money, so someone always has to pay. Graduate image from www.shutterstock.com

Someone always pays: why higher education is never free

After some speculation, this week education minister Christopher Pyne has said the Coalition has no plans to increase university fees. His comments come after much debate over selling the HELP – formerly…
Potential changes to the ownership of student loan repayments could make reform of the system more complicated. Student loan image from www.shutterstock.com

Don’t sell off HECS: reforming student loans could bring in real savings

According to the budget papers, Australian students and former students could owe the government more than $40 billion in unpaid Higher Education Loan Program debt by 2017. Unsurprisingly, HELP, formerly…
Education Minister Christopher Pyne has flagged the possibility of selling off Australia’s HECS debt to help raise funds for the government. Alan Porritt/AAP

Selling off the HECS debt could be a super solution

Education Minister Christopher Pyne has confirmed the government is considering securitising Australia’s HECS debt, and has referred the issue to the Commission of Audit. This has immediately attracted…
Student debt levels are at a record high, a Grattan Institute report has found. AAP Image/Paul Miller

Architect of student loan system unconcerned by record debt levels

The architect of Australia’s student loan system has poured cold water on a report highlighting record levels of student debt, saying he would not be surprised if a fifth of all student debt was never…
Police struggle with students as they try to break into the British Conservative Party Headquarters in London during a demonstration against raising of caps on student tuition fees in 2010. AAP

HECS architect says Grattan Institute fee proposal will be seen as ‘unfair’

Today’s proposal by the Grattan Institute for higher education students to pay more will be viewed by many as unfair and unreasonable, says Australian National University Professor Bruce Chapman. “No one…
The HECS black hole has reached $450 million. AAP/Luis Enrique Ascui

Expat workers have cost Australia $450 million in HECS

Australian university graduates who move overseas to work for long periods have deprived the country of about $450 million in unpaid HECS debts since the payment scheme was introduced in 1989, according…

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