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'Unfair': AUSA president weighs in after review labels fees-free uni 'deadweight' policy

Author
Newstalk ZB,
Publish Date
Wed, 15 Oct 2025, 7:23pm
University of Auckland (Wikimedia)
University of Auckland (Wikimedia)

'Unfair': AUSA president weighs in after review labels fees-free uni 'deadweight' policy

Author
Newstalk ZB,
Publish Date
Wed, 15 Oct 2025, 7:23pm

There's growing calls to evaluate the future of fees-free university after a recent review labelled the policy 'deadweight'.

The policy was originally introduced under the Jacinda-led Labour Government in 2017, with the current coalition moving the policy to cover a student's final year of university instead of the first.

AUSA president Gabriel Boyd says dismissing the policy is 'unfair', as it's helped students save money.

"I think the $12,000 that students saved, that they can then put towards accommodation, food, transportation, with this cost of living - does make a huge impact."

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