27 April 2025

Australian Greens deputy leader Senator Mehreen Faruqi joined Cunningham candidate Jess Whittaker and Whitlam candidate Jamie Dixon at pre-polling stations in the Illawarra as the election campaign turned into its final week.

The NSW senator, who is the Greens’ spokesperson for tertiary education, recognised the role the University of Wollongong played in the electorates of Cunningham and Whitlam while highlighting the need for urgent reforms.

“Universities are in crisis and have been in crisis under both stripes of government - Labor and Liberal,” Faruqi said.

“What the Greens want to do is to make sure our universities and TAFEs are fully funded and places where staff have secure jobs.

The Greens would implement an ambitious but achievable policy of scrapping tertiary education fees while cutting existing HECS debts.

“We want to make university and TAFE free,” Mehreen said outside the pre-polling station in Wollongong’s Crown Street Mall.

“Students are really struggling under tens of thousands of dollars of debt, which takes a lifetime to pay off. If our Prime Minister went to university for free then so should everyone else.

“Universities have become corporations rather than being democratic places where staff feel safe and secure and where students aren’t burdened by debt.

“One in three big corporations pays zero tax at the moment, so the Greens will make these big corporations pay their fair share of tax to fully fund universities and other public services that everyone needs.”

Jess echoed Faruqi’s comments and also emphasised the plan the Greens have for all of public education.

“We want to make sure all of our public schools are fully funded,” she said.

“We want completely fee-free public education with no out-of-pocket expenses and free school lunches for every school kid throughout Australia.

A short drive south Mehreen met with Jamie at the Dapto Ribbonwood Centre, which neighbours the Dapto greyhound racing track.

“I’ve been all around the world, and people know Dapto by Dapto Dogs,” Jamie said.

“Dapto is a fantastic place, and we need to get it known for the fantastic people and the wonderful business opportunities that are here instead of a greyhound track.”

Mehreen said these animals should be “treated with care, respect and love” rather than being exploited as the Greens will continue advocating for a ban on greyhound racing as well as putting an end to commercial horse racing.

“Animals are sentient beings and should be treated with care, respect and love,” Mehreen, the Greens' animal welfare spokesperson, said.

“Greyhound racing is cruel and inhumane, and that needs to end. I have been proud to be the strongest voice for animals in the Australian Senate, and I will continue to do that.”