Good morning. The Hecs debts of about 3 million students and graduates grow by a total of $1bn today. There are calls for changes to make the system fairer for young Australians already suffering cost-of-living pressures.We take a close look at the Gold Coast, where moves to expand the powers of council patrols to remove homeless people from state-owned land could erase a last refuge for vulnerable rough sleepers.We also look at the snags and hitches facing consumers as AI generated models are used to sell fashion online. And big names continue to fall at Roland Garros in this year’s French Open.Australia Photograph: Andrew Messenger/The Guardian
‘Monstrous catch-22’ | Moves to enable Gold Coast council rangers to clear homeless people from state-owned land could lock vulnerable people into an endless cycle of punishment, advocates say.
Exclusive | University graduates would save more than $3bn in total over a decade if the government changed the date of indexation on Hecs debts, dubbed a “broken system” in its current form by one MP.
Market slump | Home prices in Australia’s capital cities have begun to fall as high interest rates and inflation stretch buyer budgets, as experts predict the decline could wipe as much as 10% from values.
