Post PREFU, undeterred Labour bring forward three-year free education policy
After light rail and public transport, Labour Party has brought forward another major policy in the lead up to the elections.
On this occasion the Party has chosen to bring forward three-year free education policy, promising to deliver first free-year in 2018.
Earlier Labour Party has announced to fast forward light rail project connecting Auckland CBD with Airport via Dominion Road and connecting North shore in the next decade 9bringing forward by a decade).
The policy announcement was made earlier this morning by Labour leader Jacinda Ardern at Western Springs College in Mt Albert, Auckland in the presence of college students and teachers.
The three-year free education policy was unveiled by former Labour Leader Andrew Little in early 2016, which promised three years free education for tertiary students and other "post-school" education.
This is the first major policy announcement by the Labour Party after the release of Pre Election Fiscal Update (PREFU) earlier last week which disclosed that the next government would have comparatively fewer funds to splurge.
The fact that Ms Ardern was accompanied by Grant Robertson, Labour spokesperson for Finance and Chris Hipkins, Labour spokesperson for Education, along with a couple of local Auckland MPs Jenny Salesa and Peeni Henare signifies that this is a major election policy for the Labours.
“This policy is funded out of the $6b that Labour has allocated to education in our Fiscal Plan, which has been independently assessed by BERL,” Ms Ardern said, suggesting that the Party is confident to bring forward this policy despite being short of funds in the next government.
"I'm keen to remove tertiary fees as quickly as possible, so I have brought forward by one year our three years' free policy. From the beginning of 2018, everyone starting tertiary education for the first time will get one year full-time study fees free.
"That will be extended to two years free in 2021 and three years free in 2024. If conditions allow, we will accelerate this policy further," Ms Ardern said.
Another major election sop was a promise to increase student allowance by $50 a week.
“Labour will increase the amount students can get in student allowances and living cost loans by $50 a week while accelerating our plan to make three years of post-secondary education free,” Ms Ardern said.
The PREFU has predicted that government revenue will bump in the first year before receding in the next two years, although there will be a surplus of $3.7 billion, which is less than earlier predicted in the Budget in May this year.
After light rail and public transport, Labour Party has brought forward another major policy in the lead up to the elections.
On this occasion the Party has chosen to bring forward three-year free education policy, promising to deliver first free-year in 2018.
Earlier Labour Party has announced...
After light rail and public transport, Labour Party has brought forward another major policy in the lead up to the elections.
On this occasion the Party has chosen to bring forward three-year free education policy, promising to deliver first free-year in 2018.
Earlier Labour Party has announced to fast forward light rail project connecting Auckland CBD with Airport via Dominion Road and connecting North shore in the next decade 9bringing forward by a decade).
The policy announcement was made earlier this morning by Labour leader Jacinda Ardern at Western Springs College in Mt Albert, Auckland in the presence of college students and teachers.
The three-year free education policy was unveiled by former Labour Leader Andrew Little in early 2016, which promised three years free education for tertiary students and other "post-school" education.
This is the first major policy announcement by the Labour Party after the release of Pre Election Fiscal Update (PREFU) earlier last week which disclosed that the next government would have comparatively fewer funds to splurge.
The fact that Ms Ardern was accompanied by Grant Robertson, Labour spokesperson for Finance and Chris Hipkins, Labour spokesperson for Education, along with a couple of local Auckland MPs Jenny Salesa and Peeni Henare signifies that this is a major election policy for the Labours.
“This policy is funded out of the $6b that Labour has allocated to education in our Fiscal Plan, which has been independently assessed by BERL,” Ms Ardern said, suggesting that the Party is confident to bring forward this policy despite being short of funds in the next government.
"I'm keen to remove tertiary fees as quickly as possible, so I have brought forward by one year our three years' free policy. From the beginning of 2018, everyone starting tertiary education for the first time will get one year full-time study fees free.
"That will be extended to two years free in 2021 and three years free in 2024. If conditions allow, we will accelerate this policy further," Ms Ardern said.
Another major election sop was a promise to increase student allowance by $50 a week.
“Labour will increase the amount students can get in student allowances and living cost loans by $50 a week while accelerating our plan to make three years of post-secondary education free,” Ms Ardern said.
The PREFU has predicted that government revenue will bump in the first year before receding in the next two years, although there will be a surplus of $3.7 billion, which is less than earlier predicted in the Budget in May this year.
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