The Alliance said last nights leaders debate showed that Labour is still dodging the question of student fees and student allowances preferring to concentrate on the student debt rather than the causes of it.

'Labour said that student debt was a problem but dodged the questions on whether or not they would deal with the causes of debt,' Alliance Education spokesperson Liz Gordon said.

'Labour cannot claim any victory from last nights performance. They have continued to ignore the problem of student debt caused by fees and the lack of student allowances.

'Labour used to have a policy of reducing student fees and reinstating student allowances. As late as May 1997 Michael Cullen and Steve Maharey pledged themselves to universal student allowances.

'Now they have no intention of doing that at all. They have joined all the other parties by putting it in the too hard basket.

'Students are beginning to see though this confidence trick, and no amount of complaining about the level of debt will fix that unless the root causes of student debt are dealt with.

'Only the Alliance has a clear plan for removing the cause of student debt. We will reduce student fees over three years and pay young people to study rather than languish on the dole,' Liz Gordon said.

ends

© Scoop Media