13 April 2005
Hon Matt Robson MP, Progressive Deputy Leader
ACT’s Big Fiscal Ease would mean much higher student fees
Progressive MP Matt Robson said today that the right-wing Opposition’s policy of significant across-the-board income tax
cuts, coupled with significantly higher Defence and Police spending, would inevitably translate into significantly
higher tertiary student fees and, for many, higher levels of student debt.
Speaking at a public debate with ACT leader Rodney Hide at Victoria University today, Matt Robson said educated students
will easily see through the real consequences of ACT’s proposed large fiscal easing because young people know that there
is no such thing as a free lunch.
“There is no such thing as a free lunch. There are huge opportunity costs associated with ACT’s tax and spend policies
and those cost burdens would fall on the shoulders of tertiary students, along with no doubt low income families and the
elderly.
“By picking a smaller party with your party vote you can influence the relative policy priorities that will be adopted
by the next Coalition Government Since 1999, Jim Anderton and I have had some success translating the issues that we
have held as priorities into becoming coalition government policy, often against initial Labour Party resistance.
“What Progressive is saying this election is that we would like to again be represented in an historic third-term,
centre-left coalition government and that a Party Vote for Progressive means that our policy on graduate debt relief
will be promoted by us as a priority in post-election policy negotiations with Labour”.
“We want our graduate debt relief policy to become coalition government policy, the way our policies on Four Weeks
Annual Leave, regional and industry development and Kiwibank became coalition government policy,” the Progressive MP
said.