It has been more than 40 years since the Whitlam Federal Government made a university education free. This was something that many were pushing for at the time. My arguments in favor included the point that without educated professionals this country could not function. Since others also thought this way, we believe that by removing the burden of fees, we should actually be paying people to pursue higher education.
Every department of government and business life requires people with degrees and doctorates in relevant fields for their positions. The need to maintain a flow of graduates has to compete with the sacrifices made by students. They often give up lifestyles and other things to take courses.
Our hospitals need doctors, nurses and scientists. Our cities function with the help of graduates in law, economics, and a long list of other subjects. In a growing community that is expanding as rapidly as Australia, the number of graduates we need is endless.
The next government that came a few months later quickly replaced university fees and they have been on the decline ever since. The country is now in the situation of having to import qualified people from abroad to do the jobs for which Australians may not qualify due to cost.
The fees are now extremely high and are increasing every year. In general, the cost of earning a medical degree can soon be up to $100,000. Books alone are often too expensive for students to own and borrow or rent. Add to that the other equipment and costs and it’s pretty substantial.
While the government offers student loans, it has now put a time limit on them, meaning repayments can exceed one’s income when you started. The question is what politicians expect to happen. Most of today’s got an education for free or paid very little for it in the past, but now they not only make it impossible for many Australians, they also put us behind the rest of the world when it comes to education.
University students proudly protest the demonstrations that don’t stop until something better happens. They require better financial aid and more support from the government for their sacrifice. The country will be better served if they succeed.