9th August 2010
GREENS OFFER SIMPLE SOLUTION FOR STUDENT INCOME SUPPORT
The Australian Greens are committed to providing access to income support for students in regional areas, according to Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young.
Senator Hanson-Young, Greens spokesperson on Education, says the current compromise scheme which passed through Federal Parliament earlier this year was far from perfect and has created an unfair system that doles out or denies assistance with no real reference to students’ needs.
“We know many students in regional areas have missed out on access to the full rate of Youth Allowance under the new scheme,” Senator Hanson-Young said. “For example in Yarram in Victoria, students who go to the same school and live across the road from each other get help or miss out depending on which side of the road they are on.
“This isn’t a fair solution. So instead of drawing random boundaries on a map to decide who is and isn’t eligible, our policy would use a simple test – if students have to travel more than 90 minutes each way to access their course, and have to move out of home to do so, they will be eligible for the full rate of Youth Allowance. This rate would be limited to families whose combined income is under $150,000.
“The bottom line is that when it comes to student income support, Labor doesn’t think there is a problem and the Coalition are providing some help, but making students jump through hoops to get it.
“Only the Greens have a simple, practical approach that will ensure young students get the support they need.”
The Greens’ policy would also:
■ Lift the basic fortnightly rate of Youth Allowance, which has not risen apart from indexation since it was introduced in 1998, to the Greens’ increased Newstart rate. The proposal would give students $115 extra per fortnight at an overall cost of $680m per annum.
■ Ensure universities are required to develop a plan – under the Government’s Transforming Higher Education Agenda – listing measures to boost affordable student housing.
■ Put an extra $50 million into the National Rental Affordability Scheme (NRAS) for a specific new student division to boost student housing. This will give universities assistance to build student-specific accommodation, and allow students access to accommodation at a cost 20 per cent below the market rate.
■ Require university student accommodation to operate under the same tenancy laws as other accommodation, giving students the same rights as all tenants.
“Our plan is another example of the Greens delivering good outcomes for the community – we will give students the help they need to access tertiary education,” Senator Hanson-Young said.
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