Canberra
Australian university students are expected to owe more than Aus$10 billion (Pounds 4 billion) by early next century. The debt is being accrued every year the students remain at university through the Higher Education Contribution Scheme and a special system of loans, introduced by the Labor government in 1989. Receipts this year should exceed Aus$1.1 billion, rising to nearly Aus$1.5 billion in 2001.