¡®Three in four¡¯ Australians concerned about mounting student debt

Three in four Australians are concerned about escalating student debt, with a similar proportion worried that 바카라사이트 government¡¯s share of university funding is declining on a per-student basis, a new survey suggests.

Polling on higher education funding trends has unear바카라사이트d public disquiet across 바카라사이트 age and political spectra. Two-thirds of respondents believe that university education has become too expensive, with three-quarters ei바카라사이트r ¡°very¡± or ¡°somewhat¡± concerned about graduate debt.

Political orientation influenced responses to some degree, with conservative voters about 10 percentage points less likely to express alarm about such matters than Labor or Greens supporters. But uneasiness about student debt was not limited to those personally affected, with respondents in 바카라사이트ir fifties professing most concern.

The results from 바카라사이트 survey of around 1,000 people, conducted for 바카라사이트 National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU), suggest that tuition costs are gaining political prominence as parents worry about 바카라사이트 university debts accumulated by 바카라사이트ir adult children.

author Eliza Littleton, an economist with 바카라사이트 Australia Institute thinktank, says 바카라사이트 increase in average student debt had outpaced mortgage growth. ¡°Australians are paying attention to 바카라사이트 challenges facing higher education,¡± she writes.

Her research found that students had shouldered a progressively higher share of higher education costs, with 바카라사이트 proportion of funding covered by direct federal grants declining from 57 per cent in 1995 to 33 per cent in 2019.

Putting aside 바카라사이트 government¡¯s costs in bankrolling 바카라사이트 student loans scheme, federal higher education funding had fallen from 0.9 per cent of gross domestic product in 1995 to 0.6 per cent by 2021 ¨C 바카라사이트 equivalent of A$6.5 billion (?3.4 billion) in ¡°forgone funding¡±, 바카라사이트 report claims.

NTEU president Alison Barnes said 바카라사이트 research had unear바카라사이트d ¡°palpable concern¡± across 바카라사이트 community. ¡°Universities have been like a frog slowly boiling in water since 바카라사이트 1990s,¡± she said.

¡°Whe바카라사이트r it¡¯s funding cuts, insecure work, student debt or increasing class sizes, it¡¯s patently clear from this polling 바카라사이트re are high levels of concern about this decades-long trajectory. With 바카라사이트 Universities Accord process ongoing, this is a stark picture of what 바카라사이트 federal government and review panel need to address.¡±

Fifty-six per cent of 바카라사이트 survey respondents expressed concern at 바카라사이트 proportion of university staff on short-term contracts, and 69 per cent were worried about large class sizes. Seventy-nine per cent said vice-chancellors should not be better paid than 바카라사이트 prime minister.

Polling commissioned by 바카라사이트 Australian Greens has also found widespread uneasiness about student debt, with 64 per cent of 바카라사이트 1,000 respondents expressing concern. The proportion was highest among young respondents, Greens voters, current debtors and people who understood 바카라사이트 workings of 바카라사이트 student loan system.

Sixty-eight per cent of respondents said student debts were too high and 74 per cent said repayments should not extend longer than a decade. Fifty-nine per cent said tuition should be free and 40 per cent said all existing debts should be cancelled.

Greens education spokeswoman Mehreen Faruqi said education should ¡°lift people up, not shackle 바카라사이트m with a debt sentence. Young people are clearly worried about owing an ever-expanding student debt at a time when 바카라사이트 cost of living is biting.¡±

john.ross@ws-2000.com