Greens and Labor seats biggest beneficiaries of government’s move to wipe 20 per cent from student debt

Young voters in affluent, highly educated electorates will be the biggest beneficiaries of Labor’s move to wipe 20 per cent from student debts, analysis of taxation data has revealed.

Young voters living in inner-city Greens and Labor seats would be the biggest beneficiaries of the Albanese government’s pledge to wipe 20 per cent from student loans.

But the Greens have upped the ante, pledging to axe all student debt under an eye watering $74bn promise, to make it easier for people to save money, buy their first home and start a family.

Analysis of taxation office data shows the federal electorates of Melbourne, Wills, Brisbane, Griffith and Cooper have the largest number of voters – more than 30,000 each – that will cash in from Labor’s election policy.

Anthony Albanese’s own electorate of Grayndler also makes the top 10, alongside the affluent suburb of Kooyong in Melbourne.

But experts warn the cost of living measure is helping young voters in the wealthiest, most educated electorates, who have the greatest access to social and economic capital including financial support from family.

Around 70 per cent of people with a HECS debt are aged under 35. Picture: Jeremy Piper

Half of the top 10 seats that have the highest number of people with HELP debts are in Victoria, with almost a third in Queensland.

People in the seat of Melbourne have also racked up average debts almost $8000 higher than the national average of $27,641, which means they’ll get a $7000 cut compared to the average $5520 saving.

Opposition leader Peter Dutton rejected Labor’s plan to slash $16bn from the HECS, TAFE and apprenticeship loans of three million Australians from June 1, 2025, arguing it was inflationary.

Redbridge pollster Kos Samaras said the policy was indicative of Labor always attempting to fix problems that were “closer to their social class”, rather than the voters they should be worried about.

“The younger voters that should keep this Labor government awake at night are those that are living in Camden, Ipswich, Rockhampton, Nelson, outer suburbs, regions,” Mr Samaras said.

“They are the ones who are more likely to be extremely volatile, who expressed to us huge levels of dissatisfaction towards party politics full stop, and obviously, these young people do not have a university degree.

“That grievance is fuelled by a sense of being economically abandoned, politically abandoned … and I think all this will do is reinforce that prejudice.”

Education Minister Jason Clare meets with TAFE and university students. Picture: Martin Ollman

But Education Minister Jason Clare said three million people across our cities, suburbs and regions would benefit.

Mr Clare said the percentage of the cost of the degree that students paid had risen from 24 per cent when HECS was created, to almost 45 per cent under the Morrison government.

“This is an important measure that will provide a bit of relief to a lot of young Australians starting out who might be trying to start a family or get into the housing market,” he said.

Melbourne MP and Greens leader Adam Bandt wrote to Mr Albanese last week demanding the proposal to cut debts and raise the repayment threshold from $54,000 to $67,000 be legislated immediately.

Meanwhile, his party’s plan to wipe all student debt is expected to cost $74bn over the decade, which it plans to pay for by taxing big corporations that have profited from price gouging during the cost of living crisis.

Greens higher education spokeswoman, Senator Mehreen Faruqi, said: “If Anthony Albanese can go to uni for free, so should everyone else”.

Greens leader Adam Bandt and his deputy Senator Mehreen Faruqi. Picture: Gary Ramage



The Greens announcement in Wills on Monday is the second in just days, as the minor party ramps up attempts to erode support for Labor MP Peter Khalil.

On Friday, it unveiled plans for more than 200 government-built affordable apartments in Coburg, which would be a key demand if the minor party holds the balance of power at the next federal election.

TOP 10 ELECTORATES NATIONWIDE

1. Melbourne - Greens

2. Wills - Labor

3. Brisbane - Greens

4. Griffith - Greens

5. Cooper - Labor

6. Kooyong - Teal

7. Adelaide - Labor

8. Fraser - Labor

9. Grayndler - Labor

10. Ryan - Greens

TOP FIVE IN VIC

1. Melbourne - Greens

2. Wills - Labor

3. Cooper - Labor

4. Kooyong - Teal

5. Fraser - Labor

TOP FIVE IN NSW

1. Grayndler - Labor

2. Sydney - Labor

3. Watson - Labor

4. Blaxland - Labor

5. Newcastle - Labor

TOP FIVE IN QUEENSLAND

1. Brisbane - Greens

2. Griffith - Greens

3. Ryan - Greens

4. Moreton - Labor

5. Oxley - Labor

TOP FIVE IN SA

1. Adelaide - Labor

2. Sturt - Liberal

3. Boothby - Labor

4. Hindmarsh - Labor

5. Mayo - Independent