I have no idea why. Australia is absolutely dependent on a highly educated workforce in the future - and probably the very near future.
No more will we be able to complete on a world scale with an uneducated force. If we don't have that - we are dead - dead as dodo's.
This is not the Australia of a few decades ago where we had neighbors who were eating a handful of rice a day and had no developed industry -------- today, it is very very different.
We seem to be politically hamstrung by populist belief that our students are GIVEN something for nothing if they don't pay for their own tertiary education.
Whilst they do benefit as individuals -- it is Australia as a nation who needs that educated force - far more so than our young people needing it ---------- after all, if they pay for their own or get it for free, it is in demand overseas - so, they can get benefit out of it somehow.
Australia doesn't have that luxury -------- without our own HIGHLY educated populace - we will be strangled to a very rapid economic death ----------- the lucky countries luck will have run out.
imo, we could have a system where Australian born and maybe Australian citizens with single passport get free tertiary education or pay full fee for it.
However, if you get it for free - then you are obligated to work in Australia for the next 5 or 10 years (or some period of time).
If you pay full fee, then you can stay or go - your choice.
And, none of this student loan crap - FREE. The nation gets it's worth by holding you here working for the required time.
We cannot possibly hope to compete with nearby nations measured in billions who have strong growing economies, collective social beliefs and students that study hard. It is not possible to have a nation of ditch diggers and compete in a world like that.
We have smart people - of that, there is no question - however, we should be bending over backwards to entice them to be highly educated. Take the cream jobs, develop and grow hi tech things and industry - and leave the digging of ditches to others - or machines.
Education was always important at any time in history - but, now - it isn't just important - it is critical. Learn or die. The Germans seem to realise this.
And, if we were really smart - sling a few billion towards GENERAL research. That is where the best ideas come from - and it is hardly funded at all.
