Pauline Hanson (Queensland, Pauline Hanson's One Nation Party) Share this | Hansard source

Minister, my understanding of the bill—please correct me if I'm wrong—is that there is $81 billion that's already owed in HECS and HELP debts, and you are going to give that 20 per cent relief to those people. One thing that has been brought to my attention is of a person who has racked up an $800,000 HECS debt. Will they also be getting a 20 per cent relief on that $800,000 HECS debt? Also, I'd like to know, if a person has taken a HECS debt—why have we got 'professional students', who finish a course, go on to do another course and become professional students, that are constantly taking out debt all the time now being relieved by the taxpayer? Why shouldn't they have to do one course and pay back the taxpayer, or attempt to pay back the taxpayer, rather than become professional students who are feeding off of the welfare of the taxpayer and now getting relief? So there is the $800,000—are they going to get a tax relief of 20 per cent off their debt?

Also, I want to know: if you thought this was a good scheme, why didn't you start moving this forward from now for those going to university with a HECS debt? Why did you include those of the past, relieving them of their HECS debt, when they've already signed the contract and knew they had to pay back the taxpayer? Who are you going to give this 20 per cent tax relief to? Everyone who has got a HECS debt?