Former MP and and current New Zealand First (NZF) leader Winston Peters has continued to make policy announcements as he hopes to win a return to Parliament.
The unconventional Peters, who sat in Parliament for the best part of three decades before NZF was ousted in the last election, has honed in on the student demographic. Targeting the issue of student debt, he announced the intention to match borrowers’ loan repayments cent for cent.
This has been noticed and endorsed by student leaders across the country. New Zealand Union of Students’ Association co-president, David Do was especially happy.
“Student debt will hit $12 billion this year. Policies that will help reduce the massive student debt held in our communities will have huge benefits for the country. It would assist graduates in becoming debt-free faster, help fill workforce shortages by keeping skilled workers in New Zealand, and would attract overseas-based graduates back home,” Do says.
The impact of student debt was gauged by a survey of students last week. It found the three highest factors affected by debt were the ability to buy a house, deciding when to go overseas and saving for the future.
NZF is merely the latest party to come forth with a policy against student debt, as the Greens, United Future and the Maori Party have also announced progressive anti-debt policies.