Three million Australians hit with HECS debt hike

For the nearly three million Australians with higher education scheme debts hanging over their heads, the latest quarterly inflation figures are bittersweet.

HECS debts are indexed each year in line with inflation, and this year it's been calculated to 4.7 per cent based on March Consumer Price Index figures. This debt hike will hit hard given many are already struggling with high cost of living pressures.

Guest: Andrew Norton, Professor in Higher Education Policy, Australian National University