Just about every lobby opposing the government’s legislation reducing the HELP repayment threshold to $45 000 argues it is unfair to low SES graduates in general. But not the Australian Council of Graduate Research. The forum for “university representatives engaged in the leadership and management of graduate research” is more hard-nosed in its opposition.

“The increased personal debts that will be accrued by students seeking a postgraduate qualification may inadvertently, and potentially inappropriately, drive more to consider a master by research, rather than coursework masters and honours options. This in turn will drain the existing and finite research training programme funding pool, meaning that less funding will be available (per enrolment) for universities to support high quality research programmes.”

Full marks for frankness