Executive editor of the Courier-Mail and Sunday Mail, Neil Melloy, joined the chorus of top industry figures calling on the government to reverse its decision against journalism students.

Mr Melloy said in a submission to the student loans inquiry that the Courier-Mail and Sunday Mail graduate recruitment process had included Jschool graduates as part of a ‘lengthy process to ensure we get a diverse range of quality candidates’.

‘Not only does this give us high-performing employees but it also ensures we continue to employ people who have taken a different path to a degree education,’ he said. ‘It gives us people passionate to follow journalism as a career.

‘As journalism carries a vitally important responsibility in Australian society we believe it is imperative the Federal Government continues to provide loan assistance to students enrolled in the Diploma of Journalism.

‘We urge you to include journalism in the list of approved courses under consideration.’

Also making a submission was editor-in-chief of the Toowoomba Chronicle, Steve Etwell, who argued for the ‘public good’ of journalism education and drew attention to Jschool’s high employment success rate.

‘Support (especially financial help) for those trying to enter the journalism profession is vital,’ he said.