Uni students 'misguided' says Pyne

Education Minister Christopher Pyne says university students are spreading a great deal of misinformation about the federal government's education reforms.

Education Minister Christopher Pyne

Education Minister Christopher Pyne. (AAP)

University students are misguided about the federal government's education reforms, Education Minister Christopher Pyne says.

"University students will not be paying double the fees they are paying now," he told Fairfax Radio Network on Friday morning.

"They are very misguided and spreading a great deal of misinformation."

It comes after police and protesting students clashed at a Sydney University event attended by Mr Pyne on Thursday night.

On Wednesday students from around the country staged protests against the federal budget changes.

Mr Pyne said the students are wrong thinking the reforms will make universities only accessible to the rich.

"Not when you can borrow every single dollar up front from the Australian taxpayer and not pay it back until you're earning over $50,000 a year and at the lowest interest rate that you'll ever get for a loan in your entire life time."

Mr Pyne said middle-class families won't be priced out of tertiary education because of higher fees and higher rates of interest.

"That is just wild speculation. In my reforms to higher education we are massively expanding the number of providers who can access the Commonwealth government subsidies for students, that means there will be an adrenalin shock into the market. And if universities charge exorbitant fees, they won't get any students.

He also said the commonwealth scholarships program is being expanded and there will be more opportunities for first-generation university goers.


Share
2 min read

Published

Updated

Source: AAP

Share this with family and friends


Get SBS News daily and direct to your Inbox

Sign up now for the latest news from Australia and around the world direct to your inbox.

By subscribing, you agree to SBS’s terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS.

Download our apps
SBS News
SBS Audio
SBS On Demand

Listen to our podcasts
An overview of the day's top stories from SBS News
Interviews and feature reports from SBS News
Your daily ten minute finance and business news wrap with SBS Finance Editor Ricardo Gonçalves.
A daily five minute news wrap for English learners and people with disability
Get the latest with our News podcasts on your favourite podcast apps.

Watch on SBS
SBS World News

SBS World News

Take a global view with Australia's most comprehensive world news service
Watch the latest news videos from Australia and across the world