15 May 2003

Jim Anderton MP, Progressive Leader
Matt Robson MP, Progessive Deputy Leader

Progressives Continue To Advocate For
No Tertiary Fee Hikes

The Progressives will continue to advocate for no fee increases for any tertiary students, its MPs said today.

"If the Progressives alone set the policy of government, our priority would be to ensure that no individual tertiary student would face a fee increase," Deputy Leader Matt Robson said.

"We recognize that would require either a reduced government surplus or cuts to other programmes of less priority to us than education," he added.

Progressive Leader Jim Anderton, who is also Minister for Economic Development, said he supported moves to provide long term fee stability for students and institutions and supported the $700 million increase over four years being invested in tertiary education. However, he did not support increases in student fees because Progressive Party policy was for education to be fully publicly funded.

While the Progressives are happy that fees for some courses will drop, we don't support fees for other courses rising.

The Progressive party is of the view that education is a top priority for social investment.

In last year's election, the Progressives identified keeping fees frozen and therefore reducing in real terms, as a priority for the party.

The party's policy is to increase access to tertiary education and solve the student debt problem. Ultimately, the Progressives favour the abolition of all financial barriers to education and training because of the key role training and education play in the nation's economic development.

ENDS

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