Stealth Claims Fly During Student Loan Debate
Labour MPs claimed that the Government was sneaking in major changes to the student loan scheme, it was claimed in Parliament tonight.
The Student Loan Scheme Amendment Bill completed its committee stage tonight and was reported with amendment with National, ACT, United Future, New Zealand First, the Maori Party and Mana supporting.
Opposition to the bill mainly centred around the reduction in payment holidays from three years to one year, though towards the end of the debate a number of Labour MPs claimed that a previously unnoticed clause was effectively and retrospectively scrapping interest free loans.
Government ministers ignored the claims about the clause, which if correct meant the policy change was unannounced and escaped notice during the parliamentary process.
MPs returned
to the interrupted debate on the second reading of the Trade (Safeguard Measures)
Bill.
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