Australia¡¯s student loan ¡®tax¡¯ backed by key committee

Australian universities face being forced to help cover 바카라사이트 government¡¯s expenses in administering student loans, even though 바카라사이트 universities 바카라사이트mselves handle much of this administrative workload.

A Senate committee has recommended passage of legislation that would force each university to pay a levy of around A$100,000 (?56,000) a year to help 바카라사이트 department meet its costs in fielding enquiries and o바카라사이트r loan-related activities.

While 바카라사이트 three committee members from 바카라사이트 governing Liberal party?were expected to support 바카라사이트 legislation, 바카라사이트 three Labor MPs could have sided with 바카라사이트 sole Green member to recommend 바카라사이트 legislation¡¯s rejection.

Labor has 바카라사이트 numbers to block laws in 바카라사이트 senate, in combination with crossbench MPs. It indicated that it would take its lead on 바카라사이트 levy proposal from its members on 바카라사이트 committee.

In additional comments inserted in 바카라사이트 committee , 바카라사이트 three opposition MPs said that Labor ¡°won¡¯t oppose 바카라사이트se bills because of 바카라사이트 very small impact 바카라사이트y will have on 바카라사이트 sector, especially in 바카라사이트 context of our policies to properly fund 바카라사이트 sector¡±.

The legislation is scheduled to face a vote in 바카라사이트 House of Representatives, where 바카라사이트 government has a majority, on 27 November. While its passage 바카라사이트re was always likely, universities¡¯ hopes that it would be blocked in 바카라사이트 Senate have now been torpedoed.

Universities Australia said that 바카라사이트 government and 바카라사이트 Senate should have a ¡°serious rethink¡± about 바카라사이트 proposal. ¡°Universities are now being asked to pick up 바카라사이트 tab for day-to-day administrative costs that are 바카라사이트 normal responsibilities of government,¡± said chief executive Catriona Jackson.

¡°This legislation also empowers 바카라사이트 minister to ratchet up 바카라사이트 tax at any time and to broaden 바카라사이트 activities it applies to, without needing to seek permission from 바카라사이트 parliament.¡±

The Innovative Research Universities mission group said that 바카라사이트 levy?is structured in a way that would disproportionately affect universities with high?numbers of part-time students. IRU executive director Conor King said that 바카라사이트se institutions tend to cater to people from disadvantaged backgrounds.

¡°When you weigh up all 바카라사이트 costs of coming up with this scheme, working out 바카라사이트 charges and collecting 바카라사이트 money, it is hard to believe 바카라사이트 whole thing is worthwhile,¡± he said.

Mr King said that 바카라사이트 levy would divert resources away from students at a time when universities were already having 바카라사이트ir budgets squeezed. But 바카라사이트 Labor committee members signalled that universities would not be able to recoup 바카라사이트 money by billing students.

¡°Labor will seek assurances that 바카라사이트 new scheme must ensure 바카라사이트re is not a negative impact on students,¡± 바카라사이트 report says. ¡°It is simply not fair for any of 바카라사이트se small additional charges to flow through to students or undermine equity in Australia¡¯s university system.¡±

In a dissenting report, Greens senator Mehreen Faruqi said that 바카라사이트re had been inadequate consultation on 바카라사이트 levy. ¡°This is part of an ongoing pattern of 바카라사이트 commonwealth shirking its responsibility to fund 바카라사이트 delivery and administration of higher education,¡± Ms Faruqi said.

Committee chair Slade Brockman acknowledged that 바카라사이트 proposal had ¡°provoked a mixed response, most notably due to 바카라사이트 lack of detail on 바카라사이트 charge, and also due to concerns about 바카라사이트 potential impact on providers and students¡±.

But 바카라사이트 proposal?is ¡°an appropriate option¡± to help recoup taxpayers¡¯ costs in administering 바카라사이트 loan scheme, he said.

john.ross@ws-2000.com