Tony Abbott's Liberal government has just released a Federal budget that will price working class and poor kids out of access to higher education by allowing an unlimited increase in university fees. The budget will also see scholarships for low SES students cut and the start up scholarship, which are accessed by students on welfare, are to be converted in loans - this will mean the debt for a university degree will be higher for a working class kid then a rich kid. To exacerbate that government want to charge commercial interest rates on HECS debt.
Meanwhile Frances Abbott, daughter of Tony, gets a scholarship of $60,000 to go to an exclusive art design school. This 'scholarship' has never been awarded to anyone else, and there are no other contenders. She got this scholarship because a member of the board of the exclusive school, the Whitehouse Institute of Design, is a Liberal Party supporter and donor, and Tony Abbott's friend. Now Francis Abbott has a cushy job at the Whitehouse Institute.
This class war budget is trying to make education for the rich only - we reject this and are prepared to fight all the way for education for all, healthcare for all, and welfare for all. No more handouts for the rich!
Socialist Alternative members have been part of organising pop-up protests against Liberal Party people every time they show their faces. Whether it's Chris Pyne on QandA or Julie Bishop at University of Sydney. Now it's time to say loud and clear: EDUCATION FOR ALL - NOT JUST THE RICH!
Called by Jessica Lenehan, Socialist Alternative member and Education Officer at La Trobe University: "as a student and an Education Officer at La Trobe University facing massive fee increases, this is totally offensive that Abbott's kid gets a massive handout and we get life long debt - where's our scholarship Tony?"