Another advantage to paying full fees (and criticism of the HECS system) is that the score required to get into most courses is lower for full fee paying studen

Another advantage to paying full fees (and criticism of the HECS system) is that the score required to get into most courses is lower for full fee paying students. This is simply because there is less competition for those places but it does essentially mean that stupid rich kids can get into uni ahead of poor kids who are less stupid. And not only do we have HECS, but we have Youth Allowance which gives you money while you're studying, to live on. It's similar to the case described in this article, though: if you earn over a certain amount your Youth Allowance is reduced but it's clearly stated in the rules how it works so most students get jobs at small restaurants where they get paid under the table. Works out pretty well.