HECS/HELP debts incurred before 2014 to suffer interest after 2020 - fair?

[QuietB]

so you have no problem taking resources from the disabled and mental health and giving it to smart capable people?

There are lots of places to take the money from. No one would say take the money from roads for instance as they are a necessary piece of infrastructure for the economy to work properly, kind of like tertiary education although tertiary education has all sorts of other social benefits as well

 

[QuietB]

I partly agree just not at high rate. If the baby boomers had a system like this and had to pay back their higher education fees we may actually have had a better higher education system. But alas just like most things the entitlement generation got it all for free & think everyone else should pay.

The baby boomers will be out of power soon enough - then we can charge them retrospectively.

 

[Gough]

At least Frances didn't have to worry about HECS
http://www.theguardian.com/world/20...ave-to-pay-for-60000-design-degree?CMP=twt_gu

Tony Abbott’s daughter Frances received a “chairman’s scholarship” for a degree costing more than $60,000 from the Whitehouse Institute of Design where an Abbott political donor sits as chairman on the board, Guardian Australia can reveal.

The revelation raises questions for the prime minister over whether the scholarship should have been declared on his interests register.

The Coalition government is also under pressure over changes to higher education funding announced in the budget.

Frances Abbott undertook a bachelor of design at the Whitehouse Institute of Design in Sydney from 2011 to 2013. Guardian Australia has confirmed that she received a scholarship during her time at the institute.

“Frances definitely was a student with us and received a chairman’s scholarship,” Leanne Whitehouse, director of the Institute told Guardian Australia. She declined to detail how many times the “chairman’s scholarship” has been awarded previously, but the institute’s website makes no references to the scholarship and states the institute “does not currently offer scholarships to gain a place into the Bachelor of Design”.

Members of Parliament are required to disclose gifts above specified threshold limits with additional requirements for Ministers where a gift is retained.

Mr Abbott has known Mr Les Taylor for many years and when in Opposition, he received clothing from him as a gift.

 

[kickazz]

No matter what your view on payment for higher eduation, the concept "a deal is a deal" is one we should respect. People make decisions based on these agreements.

Same goes with negative gearing. I think it is a horrible policy, but any change or removal would have to respect existing deals.

 

[kickazz]

At least Frances didn't have to worry about HECS
http://www.theguardian.com/world/20...ave-to-pay-for-60000-design-degree?CMP=twt_gu

How dare you raise something as trivial as a $60K scholarship, Gough. Now had he received a bottle of wine, then I think it would be reasonable for heads to roll......

 

[burto]

The current media attack on Abbott, Hockey et al is unprecedented. They are going harder than News Corp did on Gillard.

 

[Gough]

The current media attack on Abbott, Hockey et al is unprecedented. They are going harder than News Corp did on Gillard.

They've still yet to ask Tone if Margie is a dyke.

 

[tandino]

#lightacandlefortony

 

[Power Raid]

Will they not just collect the $20B through the higher taxes paid by the graduates?

No

 

[Belnakor]

Anybody heading in to protest today?

I'm thinking of skipping class and heading to the protest in Brisbane.

Also because I have something due today which I can't be bothered finishing. Or starting, for that matter.

Skipping class to goto a protest about costs attending classes...

 

[Patrick Bullet]

No

Interesting theory. You don't think university graduates paymore in income tax?

 

[noddy]

That is why I am a proud union man!

can't beat them, join them

You are a man for all seasons & reasons PR.

 

[tandino]

Interesting theory. You don't think university graduates paymore in income tax?

There are Uni students who will never pay back their HECS. They need to be taken into account in all this.

 

[Sprout]

I couldn't believe hearing people say they were satisfied with Hockey's responses on Q&A.

Of course you still don't pay anything up front. That isn't the issue. The issue is that you are paying a lot more in the long run, with a whopping great interest bill on top of it. This creates a disincentive for people to attend university, like there weren't enough of those already.

I was amazed that no-one in the audience took him to task on this, whilst the rest of the idiots nod their head and say "thanks Joe, clear as a bell".

 

[Power Raid]

Interesting theory. You don't think university graduates paymore in income tax?

No, as that is irrelevant. as all of us pay higher taxes if we earn higher incomes. How can they possibly be paying back something from that contribution if a plumber, or other non university graduate, would have to pay the same amount?


this policy is just moving the cost from a general burden on society to the actual beneficiaries of the education.

the only decent argument so far is "the social benefit". but countering that is quite simple; how is there a "social benefit" of educating someone who refuses to contribute back to society for the privileged education they have received?

 

[Power Raid]

You are a man for all seasons & reasons PR.

I am not taking the lead on this activity. I was just invited to follow and stack the numbers.

That said, why just turn up and make up the numbers? I will give it a go to understand their ideas and try and make a positive influence too.

 

[Gough]

No, as all of us pay higher taxes if we earn higher incomes. How can they possibly be paying back something from that contribution if a plumber, or other non university graduate, would have to pay the same amount?


this policy is just moving the cost from a general burden on society to the actual beneficiaries of the education.

the only decent argument so far is "the social benefit". but countering that is quite simple; how is there a "social benefit" of educating someone who refuses to contribute back to society for the privileged education they have received?

Didn't you say you moved your earnings offshore to avoid paying tax? I'm not sure you should be talking about contributing back to society.

 

[Power Raid]

Didn't you say you moved your earnings offshore to avoid paying tax? I'm not sure you should be talking about contributing back to society.

Most of my business activities are offshore.

Why?

A foreign investor investing directly in Aussie assets do not pay CGT (in most circumstances) and if the invest in assets offshore they do not pay Ausie tax.

However if we have a foreign investor invest in through an Aussie structure, if we weren't structured properly, they would pay tax on Aussie assets and pay tax on foreign assets to.

Given most of our stakeholders are offshore, we moved our business activities offshore.


For the record though, I currently give 100% of my income to charity or special needs groups or individuals

 

[Smiling Buddha]

Skipping class to goto a protest about costs attending classes...

???

 

[camsmith]

Seems those morons sitting on tram tracks today got nothing more than a talking to.

Throw the book at them. Seems the softly-softly approach that we saw at the east-west tunnel protests is continuing. When will we get a police commissioner with guts? Apparently the loud mouthed protesters will be back on Friday ("study" to be put on hold again I assume, got to love a 3 day work week).

 

[Belnakor]

???

well you've been banging on about how important education is then you CBF showing to class. You'd rather go protest about how other people might not be able to goto the classes... the same classes you are skipping...

 

[Belnakor]

Seems those morons sitting on tram tracks today got nothing more than a talking to.

they should just have kept running the trains. See who blinks first.

 

[Gough]

well you've been banging on about how important education is then you CBF showing to class. You'd rather go protest about how other people might not be able to goto the classes... the same classes you are skipping...

Can't cross a picket line comrade.

 

[Smiling Buddha]

Anyway I went along to the Brisbane protest.

How depressing. A pitiful turnout and those who were there seemed to have little collective (much less individual) understanding of what is really going on.

The march through the CBD streets was led by a turnip I recognised as a Socialist Alternative leader. Terrific. Rampant socialism in this country is a large part of our problem and the protests are being led by a mob who want to formalise and exacerbate the socialism.

We eventually made it back to Queens Park and then... nothing. Everybody just went their separate ways.

A couple of young lemmings questioned me about my placard (which pointed out that ALP/Greens also cut billions from unis) but that was about the extent of the discussion which took place afterwards.

This country is in a lot of trouble.

 

[Smiling Buddha]

well you've been banging on about how important education is then you CBF showing to class. You'd rather go protest about how other people might not be able to goto the classes... the same classes you are skipping...

You're usually a sensible poster so I will let this apparent brainfade pass through to the keeper.