[1] Fees free was introduced in 2018 by the sixth Labour Government.
[1] In the first year, 47 thousand students and trainees had their fees paid off.
[3] In 2020 research found that students that enrolled in tertiary education only because it was free achieved lower grades than those who had other reasons in studying.
[1] In 2017, National Party education spokesman Paul Goldsmith criticised the policy by saying that the policy moves resources "to the sons and daughters of the richest New Zealanders, who will go on to earn high incomes and can easily contribute to the cost of their education".
[5] It has also been criticised by Penny Simmonds for similar reasons.