• In 2017, 55.5% of all university students were women. Changes to the loan repayment scheme included in the 2017 Budget affect women disproportionately. On average, women graduates earn less over a lifetime of employment, particularly so in the first ten years after they leave university. Women graduates also tend to be concentrated in lower paid occupations such as nursing and teaching and are more likely than men to take time out of the workforce to raise children. These changes mean that graduates will begin repaying HELP loans sooner, and lower paid graduates will pay a higher proportion of their income.

• More than half of all academic staff are women; however, they are concentrated in lower level positions that are often classified as teaching-only positions and these positions are increasingly limited contract or casual appointments. Recent cuts to university have led to an increase in the number of casual academic staff as the university administrators try to contain spending. In theory, recent graduates and postgraduate students are gaining valuable experience while waiting to move on to permanent positions; however, funding cuts make it likely that permanent positions will not eventuate.

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