Student debt doubles under Labour

Student debt doubles under Labour: students call for a living allowance for all students

Student debt has doubled under Labour and is now past the $6 billion mark according to government response to an official information request from the New Zealand University Students' Association (NZUSA) under the Official Information Act. Students are calling on the government to ease the debt burden by immediately introducing a living allowance for all students.

"Six billion dollars of debt is a disgrace to a government that say they want a knowledge economy and society," said Fleur Fitzsimons, Co-President of NZUSA. "Urgent action is required, the government must use the long awaited student support review to deliver on their promises."

"Students are the only group in society that must borrow to live. Only a third of all full time students are eligible for an allowance, while the rest are wracking up big debts," said Fitzsimons.

"The best way to ensure that student debt does not continue increasing dramatically every year is to introduce a living allowance for all students to ensure that students do not have to rely on the harsh and unfair student loan scheme to survive"

"This huge debt threatens our economy and our society. There's already too many graduates leaving New Zealand, workforce shortages in key social areas and people putting off having children because of the disastrous student loan scheme."

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