Academic urges government to reverse university fee hikes in 2026 budget
Legal scholar says $1.917bn annual reform could cap arts degrees at $30,000, contrasting with $16bn debt reduction already delivered
An opinion piece published in The Guardian on 19 May 2026 has criticised the Australian Labor government for retaining the Job Ready Graduate (JRG) fee structure in the 2026 federal budget. George Williams, a legal academic, argued that the decision represented a missed opportunity to address intergenerational inequality, contrasting the government’s focus on tax and housing reforms with a lack of action on higher education access.
Williams described the JRG package, introduced under former Prime Minister Scott Morrison, as "discredited and grossly unfair." He noted that the scheme has resulted in arts degrees costing $52,000 and warned that it threatens to create combined degrees with fees approaching $100,000. The author contended that the current system acts as a tax on aspiration, deepening the divide between young Australians who can rely on family wealth and those who cannot.
The piece referenced an Australian National University study published in May, which identified education as the "single most consistent predictor of positive outcomes" in life. According to the study, degree holders reported higher life satisfaction, lower financial stress, and stronger support for democratic norms. Williams linked these findings to social mobility, arguing that higher education serves as a buffer against civic disengagement and social isolation.
Highlighting the demographic realities at Western Sydney University, Williams pointed out that two-thirds of its students are the first in their families to attend university. He cited News Corp’s top public primary schools report to illustrate how parental education levels correlate with child outcomes, describing education as "contagious" across generations. The author argued that the most expensive degrees in arts and humanities are often the gateway to higher education for women, Indigenous people, and first-in-family students.
To remedy the situation, Williams proposed a three-step reform costing $1.917 billion annually to reduce arts and humanities degree fees to $30,000. He compared this investment to the government’s recent $16 billion election promise to reduce existing student debts by 20%. Additionally, he linked educational reform to the Australian Universities Accord target of 80% of working-age people holding tertiary qualifications by 2050, a goal he claimed would add $240 billion to the economy.
Williams concluded that while Treasurer Jim Chalmers was correct to implement negative gearing and capital gains tax reforms under the banner of intergenerational equity, similar action was required for higher education. He urged the government not to delay action on this key driver of equity until the following year, stating that opening university to all Australians was an investment in the nation’s collective future.