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@ISIDEWITHQuestionsAustraliaEducationStudent DebtHigher educationEconomic policyHECS-HELP•••Started 4mos agoActive 6 days ago

Should the government wipe all outstanding HECS/HELP student debt?

The HECS/HELP system is Australia's income-contingent loan scheme. While interest-free, loans are 'indexed' to inflation, causing debts to spike by 7.1% in 2023. Proponents argue debt delays young people from buying homes, calling it generational theft. Opponents argue the system is fair, and taxpayers without degrees shouldn't subsidize graduates' higher lifetime earnings.

Answer Overview

Response rates from 173 Australia voters.

58%
Yes
42%
No
45%
Yes
30%
No
9%
Yes, saddling young people with debt during a housing crisis is generational theft.
6%
No, the user-pays model works, just fix the indexation rate so debt doesn't grow faster than wages.
4%
Yes, but only for essential workers like nurses and teachers to keep them in the workforce.
3%
No, it is a slap in the face to everyone who worked hard to pay off their debt responsibly.
1%
No, graduates earn millions more over a lifetime and can afford to repay their own investment.
1%
No, why should a tradie pay higher taxes to subsidize a rich kid's arts degree?

Historical Support

Trend of support over time for each answer from 173 Australia voters.

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Historical Importance

Trend of how important this issue is for 173 Australia voters.

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Other Popular Answers

Unique answers from Australia voters whose views went beyond the provided options.

 @BDZ9CKHanswered…6 days6D

No, I didn’t have access to free university education which meant I couldn’t go. Uni should have always been free

 @BDYSLSY answered…1wk1W

No because it's a waste of money and time.

 @BD2FTK6answered…2mos2MO

No, but remove indexation so student's aren't paying interest on top of already large debt.

 @BCX575Danswered…2mos2MO

Yes, but only for essential degrees like Medicine (among some others), while keeping them as well charging fees to non - essential university degrees.

 @BCQJ9W9answered…2mos2MO

HECS has become highly political, needs adjustment and cost to students should be lower.

 @BC7XVBGanswered…3mos3MO

Yes, but introduce a cap for each degree and reduce debts that are above the cap currently.

 @BC7SBFRanswered…3mos3MO

No, but remove indexation so debts don't grow to the point they are unpayable.

 @BBXCSJBanswered…3mos3MO

Debt relief sounds nice, but maybe a more equitable, targeted approach is better than a blanket wipe.

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About This Data

Based on 173 responses to this question.

These results come from iSideWith's ongoing political issues survey. We collect over a million responses per day, filter out duplicate and multiple submissions, and break the results down by political party, ideology, age, state, and census demographics (income, race, education, household).

iSideWith is non-partisan — we don't advocate for any party, candidate, or position. We report what the public tells us.

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Cite This Poll

iSideWith. (2026). “Should the government wipe all outstanding HECS/HELP student debt?” — Public Opinion Poll Results. Retrieved June 18, 2026, from https://australia.isidewith.com/poll/5548700852

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