Morning Mail: A Hecs debt tweak that could save billions; Israel seizes Lebanon castle; the rise of AI fashion models

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Good morning. The Hecs debts of about 3 million students and graduates grow by a total of $1bn today. There are calls for changes to make the system fairer for young Australians already suffering cost-of-living pressures.

We take a close look at the Gold Coast, where moves to expand the powers of council patrols to remove homeless people from state-owned land could erase a last refuge for vulnerable rough sleepers.

‘Monstrous catch-22’ | Moves to enable Gold Coast council rangers to clear homeless people from state-owned land could lock vulnerable people into an endless cycle of punishment, advocates say.

Exclusive | University graduates would save more than $3bn in total over a decade if the government changed the date of indexation on Hecs debts, dubbed a “broken system” in its current form by one MP.

Market slump | Home prices in Australia’s capital cities have begun to fall as high interest rates and inflation stretch buyer budgets, as experts predict the decline could wipe as much as 10% from values.

Follow the thread | When an Australian e-commerce retailer started using AI-generated models instead of real people to sell its products, Alyx Gorman had to see if the garments were more than mere pixels.

Gas use wanes | The use of gas in Australia has peaked and entered a “structural decline”, according to a Grattan Institute report that warns it must fall further if climate targets are to be met.