Get Schooled: Election Policies for Uni Students
To quote a certain boyband, oh my god we’re back again.
Today, we’re going to be having a look at some of the policies presented by the major political parties which will affect tertiary students.
If you’re reading this, you’re most likely a student of Massey or another uni in New Zealand. If not, you’re probably my mum and dad who read all my work (hello Toni and Nick, hope you’re well).
With this election being nothing short of important, it is vital that all who are eligible to vote have the tools and knowledge to do so confidently.
The following article will present policies relating to us students, things which will affect not only those continuing study in the years to come, but maybe even those who will be finished within the next year or have finished and have unpaid loans.
Read on, educate yourself (if you need it) or refamiliarize yourself if you already know these policies.
Labour
Under the current Labour government, New Zealand tertiary students have seen:
The implementation of ‘first year fees free’.
Multiple increases to both student allowance and student loan living costs.
If Labour are re-elected, they will:
Invest an additional $128 million to increase tuition subsidies at degree-level and above by a further 4% (in 2024 and 2025).
Improve transition support for neurodiverse students moving between secondary schooling and tertiary education.
Restore the requirement for university councils to have two paid student members and ensure students have a strong collective voice in the decisions made by tertiary institutions.
National
Initially claiming they would remove it, National have since said they will NOT abolish first year fees free if they are elected into government.
National will also
Pay nurses’ and midwives’ student loan repayments up to a total of $4,500 a year for the first five years of their career, provided they remain working in their profession in New Zealand.
Incentivise international students to study in NZ by fast tracking visa processing, diversifying the countries NZ recruits students from, and increase the hours international students are able to work each week from 20 to 24.
Greens
For their 2023 election policies, the Green party is proposing:
Introduce a universal weekly living payment of $385, including at postgraduate level.
Ensure courses that require work placements pay students at least the living wage.
Address the impact of student debt by increasing the threshold for student loan repayments and reducing the repayment rate.
Work towards a student debt write-off.
To strengthen student voice in tertiary governance and return to default student union membership.
Overhaul funding for the tertiary sector to ensure a wide range of course options, quality teaching, decent pay and working conditions for staff, comprehensive student services, and rigorous research.
Reform student accommodation, through compliance requirements under the Residential Tenancies Act, to ensure high standards of housing and pastoral care.
Ensure all tertiary institutes uphold te Tiriti o Waitangi and deliver equitable outcomes for tauira Māori.
Fully resource Te Wānanga o Aotearoa to increase opportunities and pathways for kaupapa Māori education.
To require tertiary institutes to provide disabled students with equitable opportunities to achieve their individual capabilities and participate in all aspects of tertiary education life.
ACT
Much like the previous article, ACT does not seem to have any information available on current tertiary education policies. I ask again, deliberately hidden or just no policies? You decide.
It should be noted that in previous years, the ACT party has said they will put interest back on student loans. Back in 2016, this idea was introduced as one of their policies, but since 2020 they have gone back on it.
A Newshub article stated that Labour’s Instagram had a post in September of this year claiming that a Nats/ACT coalition would cause interest to be added back as well as fees free being outright cut, something which ACT is claiming as misinformation. However, multiple sources (The Post, The Spinoff, PolicyNZ, and Newshub) have all stated that ACT would remove fees free.
Still doesn’t answer the question – DOES ACT have any policies pertaining to tertiary education? If they do, they are not available on their website, and are not easy to come across even with very specific search questions.
Aiden’s two cents
CAUTION: The above article is an unbiased rundown of the facts. It only shows off policies and facts provided by the parties themselves, whether shown on their websites/other publications, or from quotes given to news outlets.
THE FOLLOWING SECTION IS THE AUTHOR’S OPINION AND VIEWS. IF YOU DO NOT WISH TO READ THEM, SKIP AHEAD TO THE CONCLUSION.
I was a “fees free” first year. If it wasn’t for my first year at university being free of charge, I may not have even started my degree. Having the guarantee that my first year would cost nothing, no matter what happens, was a huge motivator to actually give it a go. Yes, I would not have had to pay upfront costs, as I got Studylink funding, but the money spent on my first year would have need ed to been paid off eventually. What I’m getting at is this: first year fees free has been a motivator for many, including me, to actually give studying a go when they may not have otherwise. And tThat’s just focusing on the university side, not even mentioning that this policy allows for people to undertake fees free work-based programs instead of university if they wish.
You could make the argument about students undertaking this first year for free, then not completing their degree due to dropping out after once the first year is complete, to which I would argue that even some tertiary education is valuable. Students who complete only the first year of study because it’s free and they can, are still getting knowledge or skills they might not have otherwise. They are still coming away with more experience than they had going in.
It’s an excellent system, and one that SHOULD be kept in place.
In conclusion
Like last time, this article was designed as a tool to inform, and not sway you in any particular direction. I have my thoughts and opinions, and you have yours. While I do care who you vote for, I’m not going to try change your mind and only really care that you vote.
With that being said, EVERYONE should hopefully be voting. History has shown that one vote can be the deciding factor in who will be running our country next. Don’t sit back and think you’re not important in this selection.
As of the 2nd of October, I can say that I have voted. I hope that if you haven’t done so already, you’ll be able to soon. And I sincerely hope that when you go into your local voting space, you do so confident in your choices, and confident that your say truly reflects who YOU want to see in power.