What the HECS?
Annual inflation is on the way down, but rents remain high and many people’s higher education loans are growing, even after repayments, says Greg Jericho.
The rising cost of university and record indexation is driving up student debt, putting a major burden on younger Australians. On this episode of Dollars & Sense, Greg explores what the government could do to address the situation, plus the what the latest inflation figures tell us about the health of the economy.
Greg Jericho is Chief Economist at the Australia Institute and the Centre for Future Work and popular columnist of Grogonomics with Guardian Australia. Each week on Dollars & Sense, Greg dives into the latest economic figures to explain what they can tell us about what’s happening in the economy, how it will impact you and where things are headed.
Host: Greg Jericho, Chief Economist, the Australia Institute and Centre for Future Work // @GrogsGamut
Producer: Jennifer Macey // @jennifermacey
Additional editing: Emily Perkins
Theme music: Blue Dot Sessions
We’d love to hear your feedback on this series, so send in your questions, comments or suggestions for future episodes to podcasts@australiainstitute.org.au.
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People are starting with much larger HECS/HELP debts than in the past – and it is only going to get worse
Australians in their 20s have HECS/HELP debts more than $10,000 greater in real terms than did people 20 years ago
HECS/HELP indexation is sending those earning less than $65,000 backwards
Ending the indexation of HECS/HELP debts would deliver a truly interest free-loan for students
Explainer: How the government collects more from HECS/HELP than the PRRT
The government consistently collects more from people repaying their student debts than it does from the Petroleum Resource Rent Tax.