Sorry can't help myself.
The "Productivity Commission" has come up with a report on tertiary education and I will disclaim now I have not read anywhere near the 527 pages but am only focusing on the bit that bugs me the most. They might actually have some good suggestions in amongst it all.
http://www.productivity.govt.nz/site...%20FINAL_1.pdf
Page 452 Charge interest on the loans R15.1 I would suggest they also charge previous students for their course costs where they did not pay. Inflation adjusted of course and if this creates an unexpected burden on baby boomer and generation x graduates then they should be offered student loans to cover it at interest rates suggested by the productivity commission. As we all know graduates from university on average have higher earnings it would be good to see some of the older generation mucking in with the youth of today to ensure a prosperous country and a more viable tertiary sector.
R15.2 suggests if interest rates remain at zero then they shouldn't be but should match inflation as inflation is stealing about 40cents in the dollar by the time students pay it back. Savers would know how this feels. My suggestion would be to have the reserve bank be responsible for price stability instead of price instability give them an inflation target of 0% plus or minus 1.5%.
Look at the members of the productivity commission waaaay to many economists. I don't like the idea of Bachelor of Arts graduates deciding how everyone should live in light of where the world is currently. Some of our problems stem from economic theories that might be about to hit their limits.
To relate this post back to the thread topic I would suggest that the money recovered from Boomers and Xers be put into the Cullen Fund to help ensure nz super is affordable.