The Greens believe a responsible government should foster a strong, vibrant, top-quality public education system that is fee free from preschool to university. This is the kind of vision that the Greens bring to the debate. It is an affordable vision and it is a responsible vision. For less money than this government spends each year on the diesel fuel rebate the government could make this a reality.

The Greens believe in access to university based on merit, not your ability to pay. Our vision is to abolish all course fees for domestic students. That means no upfront fees and no more HECS. All of us have a right to a high quality, fair education system, and the first step is to make it free.

Financial hardship should not be a barrier to academic success. Yet the cost of education has gone up and there are more students today living in poverty or working long hours on top of their studies. The Greens recognise the student financial support system needs an overhaul. As a first step we would give all students an allowance for software and books, extend rent assistance to Austudy recipients and return Abstudy to its 1996 levels.