Bridget McKenzie (Victoria, National Party) Share this | Hansard source

The taxpayer dollars that the mums and dads in Burke or the mums and dads in Metung who are running a mechanics workshop contribute to the federal government are going to fund the majority of the degree of somebody who went to Melbourne Grammar and is attending Melbourne university studying philosophy. That is just not fair, I am sorry. They are happy to do it, but it is just not fair. I think and I am sure they would agree that part of our taxes should be going to subsidise the higher education of our young people, because that ensures that our community builds capacity. There is a public contribution from individuals completing higher education. However, there is also a significant private benefit. I do not know why my mechanic in Metung has to subsidise the son of a Toorak doctor doing their arts agree at a G8 university. It is not fair. That is why I think it is fair that he subsidises 50 per cent of the cost—not the majority of it, half of it.