Cuts for Student Debt as Labor Targets Young Voters

Protesters shout slogans at the Palestinian Protest Campsite at University of Sydney in Sydney, Australia, on May 3, 2024. Ayush Kumar/AFP via Getty Images

Slashing the HECS debts of millions of university students will be a major boost for young Australians, the education minister says, as the federal government seeks a reset by targeting younger voters.

The government has indicated it will take 20 percent off students debts, which would apply to $16 billion worth of loans, if Labor wins the next election.