The Young Liberal Movement of Australia has today released a research report calling for the abolition of the Student Services and Amenities Fee which collects $100 million from students each year.
 
The report, prepared by Claire Chandler, Josh Manuatu and Jack McGuire, looks at the Student Tax including its accountability and transparency mechanisms. The report includes polling commissioned which shows that only one in five students support the Student Tax, while 52% don’t believe that they are getting value for money as well as projections on future SSAF revenue by university.
 
“The Student Tax is a $100 million a year hit on students right around Australia and should be abolished. At the very least, significant transparency reforms are required to ensure that waste and mismanagement of the funds comes to an end,” Federal Young Liberal President Claire Chandler said today.
 
“This landmark report exposes the $100 million each year in revenue being funnelled to student unions and the left-wing National Union of Students as well as the low level of investigations conducted by government agencies into allegations of rorts, rackets and ripoffs.”
 
 “Most students are paying $290 a year for the Student Tax regardless of whether they access services which has minimal scrutiny.”
 
“The Student Tax is unfair, undemocratic and unnecessary and it should be abolished as an anathema to freedom of association.”
 
“We think students are big enough to look after themselves and to make financial decisions around how they can spend their $290 better.”
 
“I look forward to the Government considering this report in due course,” Miss Chandler concluded.

Download the report here. http://www.newspronto.com/Young Liberal Research Paper - The Student Tax.pdf