Labor votes down Greens Bill that would halve the cost of an arts degree
Labor votes down Greens Bill that would halve the cost of an arts degree | Australian Greens Skip to main content Search Get Involved Join Donate Our plan Tax the 1% Tackle the cost of living Healthcare for all Fix the housing crisis Strong climate action Policy principles & aims Our team Federal MPs State/territory MPs Officeholders Media releases Take action Volunteer Donate Issues & campaigns Events Greens Shop Leave a bequest Our movement About the Greens Become a member Jobs Green Magazine All news Get Involved Join Donate Search Our plan Toggle Tax the 1% Tackle the cost of living Healthcare for all Fix the housing crisis Strong climate action Policy principles & aims Our team Toggle Federal MPs State/territory MPs Officeholders Media releases Take action Toggle Volunteer Donate Issues & campaigns Events Greens Shop Leave a bequest Our movement Toggle About the Greens Become a member Jobs Green Magazine All news Labor votes down Greens Bill that would halve the cost of an arts degree 2026-07-01 Labor, the Liberals, and One Nation have this morning voted against a Greens Bill that would have reversed the fee hikes of the disastrous job-ready graduates (JRG) package.
Students, academics, unions, VCs, universities and even Labor backbenchers have been calling for the JRG to be urgently scrapped, as students are being overwhelmed by debt. The Higher Education Support Amendment (Reverse Job-Ready Graduates Fee Hikes & End 50k Arts Degrees) Bill would have reversed the punitive fee hikes introduced by the Morrison government’s JRG package by undoing the fee hikes for units of study in law, accounting, administration, economics, commerce, society and culture, and communications, and reverting them to what those amounts would have been on 1 January 2026, if the job-ready graduates bill had not commenced.
The effect of this Bill would have been to halve the cost of an arts degree. Lines attributable to Senator Mehreen Faruqi, Deputy leader of the Australian Greens and spokesperson for Higher Education: “The Albanese Labor government talks a big game on equity in education, but today they have voted against lowering uni fees and easing the burden on students facing spiralling student debt amidst a cost of living and housing crisis.
“While the major parties and One Nation teamed up to oppose cheaper degrees, arts students continue to watch in horror as the cost of their degree soars past $50,000. “You can’t say you care about students and young people and then vote down a Bill to make higher education more accessible and affordable. “The JRG fee hikes were brought in by Mossison’s Coalition, but now it squarely belongs to Albanese’s Labor.
“The Prime Minister got to enjoy free higher education, but he isn’t willing to see students today reap the same benefits. “When the government makes more from student debt than the PRRT and refuses to impose a $17 billion a year revenue-raising gas export tax, you know that keeping students in poverty and overwhelmed with debt, and keeping universities underfunded isn’t a policy issue, it’s a political choice." Facebook for the Australian Greens YouTube for the Australian Greens X for the Australian Greens Instagram for the Australian Greens Bluesky for the Australian Greens Privacy Members website Your safety Contact us Our plan Tax the 1% Tackle the cost of living Healthcare for all Fix the housing crisis Strong climate action In your language 2025 policy platform Policy principles & aims Our team Federal MPs State/territory MPs Officeholders Federal portfolios Federal media releases Take action Volunteer Donate Issues & campaigns Upcoming events Greens Shop Leave a bequest Green Magazine All news Our movement About the Greens Become a member Jobs Members website State/territory parties Contact us The Greens acknowledge the Traditional Owners of country throughout Australia and recognise their continuing connection to land, waters and culture.
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