The Debt Trap in Sydney's Affluent Suburbs: A Symptom of a Broader Education Crisis Australia's education system is plagued by student debt. In Sydney, 483,606 taxpayers owe a combined $15.
2 billion in HECS debt, with some inner city suburbs showing an average balance of over $38,000 per person. The phenomenon is not limited to the eastern seaboard.
Across Australia, more than two million people have a HECS debt, with the national average sitting at around $28,000. The numbers are staggering, but what's disturbing is their social and economic implications.