Local Member of Federal Parliament Madeleine King has slammed the Federal Government for being out of touch as it looks to burden local students and families with increased university debt while giving a $50 billion tax break to big business and banks.                                     

“It is all well and good for Malcolm Turnbull’s Liberal Government to say fee increases and cuts to funding are fair, measured and modest but the reality is they are not. The challenges facing young people in Brand going to university are very real and high fees are a real barrier,” Ms King said.

Meeting with Baldivis local and UWA student Lina El Rakhawy Ms King was told students were already doing it tough trying to make ends meet while at university.

“Students already struggle to get through university as it is,” Ms El Rakhawy said.

“These cuts will make it even harder for Uni to be accessible for young people in WA and around Australia.”

Ms King said she had spent the past week visiting the fantastic, bright, young people at Gilmore, Comet Bay and Living Waters colleges who were all striving to do their best at school so they could go on to further education.

“Increasing fees is making it even harder for those students and their families to see university as an option and this government is totally out of touch if it cannot see this.

“It really is a disgrace that the Government can give big business and the banks a $50 billion tax handout while slugging hardworking young people and their families with higher fees.”