It was originally the Labour Government that brought in free university fees in the early '70s, so that lower and middle class bright students would get the chance to go to university.
Suseonline,
Yes and, look what happened. The Labor Govt. wasted billions just to have idiots refined to true morons to the stage where we now have to import brains from third world countries. We're so smart we can't even run our own telephone services & internet, we can't produce anything here anymore because we're so smart. Hell, we're so smart we just let many pensioners live in misery whilst we give millions to the Arts. We're so smart that we have a public service that is nothing more than a sponge. We're so smart that our Judiciary puts more effort into protecting home-grown & imported crims than on our decent citziens. Oh yes, Australians have become too smart for their own good ! A very smart move by our Labor Governments. The wisdom is simply overwhelming.

In previous posts I have always emphasised the virtue of self responsibility and not looking for handouts. Are you saying Susieonline that the education of your brother once your family broke up (I don't know the circumstances ) should be then paid for out of the public purse because your father left your mother with four children ?

...I think it will be the wealthy who will be more likely to be able to go to Uni now, and that is a great pity.

Suze, anyone who goes to uni and passes, is pretty much assured a well paid job. So what's the problem?

Another problem with free uni/tafe, is that so many used it as an excuse to basically, stay at school and not enter the workforce and not contribute to the very system that provides for them.

Just think if uni/tafe fees had been charged from the beginning, at say 10% of ones average industry salary (one year that is) the same system may well be sustainable today. But that's too clever, because many prefer the free ride for as long as they can get it, giving no regard for the tomorrow's of the world.

As Abbott has quite rightly said, the age of entitlement is over!

Yuyustu.
One can teach themselves from books and attending STOLEN lectures!?
I met an Emigrant from Chermany, well that's what he called it, who taught himself to Fly.
His first flight, was one were he constantly referenced a how to fly manual, even managed to get airborne and out over the English channel?
Anyhow, he found himself taking extreme evasive action against frequent flocks of flying french seagulls!
VELL, British ones are never zat curious, stupid or arrogant!
Consequently, found himself hanging upside down in the seat of an open cockpit biplane.
As his goggles dipped below the waves, and nearly tore his head off, as well as forcing him to imbibe half of the seawater in that august body of water.
His last remaining cogent thought was, dive dive dive.
No not because he was submersed from the neck down, but because given his attitude, that would force the plane back into the skies, and from where the water could drain out of him, including a very sumptuous meal of force fed mixed sushi!
The engine must have suffered some water damage, given it slowly lost revs, after he righted the plane, again as a unintended ducking away from some seagull intent on doing him some nefarious damage, or just chasing some of the unwanted sushi?
The loss of revs causing the plane to nearly stall forcing him lower and lower, until his wheels dipped into the water, fortunately the "french" tide was completely out, and there was only a couple of inches of water.
And almost as an unintended consequence of the ducking, he managed an almost perfect landing; albeit, one where his hands were clasped in fervent silent prayer.
I guess you could say, he came in on a wing and a prayer.
Strangely for some inexplicable reason, he lost all enthusiasm for flying, and now only flies if there's no other option!
And on that one occasion, when offered lunch, told the hostess, to throw it straight in the vomit bag as it would save time!
Cheers, Rhrosty.

Great story Rhrosty, I set my first spinnaker that way, just outside Sydney heads on a nice day.

Book in one hand, tiller in another, sheet in another, & brace in another. It is amazing where you find all these hands from, when you need them, although I did have to put my coffee down at one point.

Nothing like a bit of education to teach you to do things "by the book".

My long deceased father tells a similar story HB.
Particularly just after he'd spliced the main brace; albeit, he'd set the mainsail, scrubbed the decks, with the anchor rope gripped between his teeth, as well as working his butt off on the four handed coffee grinder, with his feet.
Given it's polite conversation, you'll have to guess where he kept the broom?
On a more serious note?
Is there anything more exhilarating, than a tail wind pushing a really big kite, while you surf down a Tasmanian bound wave/following sea?
Cheers, Rhrosty.