Call me an eternal optimist, but in my books, the fight isn't over til it's over!
If the treasurer, Jim Chalmers, and the government do not freeze indexation, in just one week the HECS-HELP debt will rise "with inflation" by up to 7.9%!! I don't know about you, but my wage did not increase in line with inflation, so why should our HECS debt?
Reading the comments on the petition is heart breaking- many of you went to university to both pursue your dreams and serve your community. Now, you are still paying the price years later with ballooning debts and rising costs of living. I heard of one young woman who was diagnosed with cancer when she finished university. She has not been able to work, but her debt has been increasing while she has had her treatment over several years. I hear of women, who have complex child-care needs, which mean that they can only work part time- their debt is steadily growing as their financial vulnerability increases. And I have met people who are not going to pursue further study in nursing or teaching, because the debt will compromise their chances of getting a home loan in the future. Surely we want our medical practitioners to be as well qualified as they can be!
Yesterday I wrote to every Labor MP, imploring them to freeze indexation. Here is a copy of my letter, if you want to use it as a template for your own email.
“Dear Minister,
On behalf of the 16,000 people who have signed the "Stop HECS-HELP indexation" petition, I respectfully implore the government to not apply indexation to the already crippling HECS-HELP debt faced by so many Australians. Indexation causes the debt to increase at a percentage significantly greater than any recent wage increases, and adds to the demoralisation and despair felt by many young Australians. The links of debt to depression, suicide and other startling mental health outcomes are well documented. Added to this, the indirect discrimination faced by women in the application of the scheme makes the practice of indexation cruel and unbalanced in its impact. I direct you to the comments on the petition which personalise the effect of indexation on ordinary Australians, who are simply trying to be educated and contribute to our communities. Here is a link to the petition: https://www.change.org/Stop-HECS-Indexation
Time is running out to freeze the HECS indexation for 2023- we beg you to consider making this compassionate and courageous decision.”
To contact your federal MP directly, here is a helpful website- Just put in your postcode and it will give you their name and contact details. https://www.aph.gov.au/Senators_and_Members/Guidelines_for_Contacting_Senators_and_Members
To contact the PM directly, here is a handy link: https://www.pm.gov.au/contact-your-pm
I truly hope that the next time you hear from me is an email declaring victory in our campaign to end HECS-HELP indexation! Meanwhile, stay safe and be kind to yourself and others :)
Yours in solidarity,
Gemma