It is 1987 and the Labor government, led by prime minister Bob Hawke, is introducing university fees which threaten the free universal education introduced by his Labor predecessor Gough Whitlam.

It is no surprise that students are outraged. It is a surprise to learn who rushes first to the barricades: Joe Hockey, then a 22-year-old Arts/Law student at the University of Sydney, who was protesting against the introduction of a $250 administration fee.

Fast forward 27 years and now that student is the Treasurer, who used his first budget to introduce higher education reforms that will deregulate fees and make students pay their student loans back sooner and with higher interest.