May 18, 2009
The Nationals Member for Gippsland has raised fears that university studies have been put out of reach for many young Gippslanders following a Federal Budget decision to toughen the criteria for government support.
Gippsland students who have deferred their university studies for a year to qualify for the independent rate of youth allowance are still reeling at the Rudd Government’s decision to change the criteria.
Mr Chester has accused the Rudd Government of forgetting about the needs of country students by no longer providing students with the independent rate of youth allowance if they earn $18,850 in an 18 month period.
Even students who have already taken a ‘gap year’, and have been working toward their dream of a university education, are expected to be hit hard by the changes.
Mr Chester said the announcement was a shock and completely contradicted what was required to help more Gippsland students to fulfil their potential in pursuing tertiary studies.
“The new criteria requires students to have worked full-time for two years before they are eligible to receive the independent rate of youth allowance,” Mr Chester said.
“Given that the budget forecasts high unemployment and one million Australians out of work, it will be impossible for many country students to secure full-time work in the current economic circumstances.
“Full-time work is difficult to find in many regional areas and employers are also unlikely to recruit a comparatively unskilled school leaver if they know they will be leaving in two years to attend university.
“The changes effectively discriminate against country students and make it even harder for Gippslanders to achieve their full potential. Most city students have the choice to live at home – better access to the independent youth allowance is critical for country kids who move away to study.”
Mr Chester said he had been advised by the Local Learning Employment Network (LLEN) that Gippsland had a particularly high proportion of students who deferred from university because families could not afford the cost of a second household – rent payments plus household bills on top of living expenses – for students who had to leave home to study at university.
Mr Chester was particularly concerned about the impact on students who were already mid-way through their ‘gap year’, working toward their dream of a university education.
“What sort of message are we sending to our young people, who have committed themselves to studying at university and are working toward their goal?” Mr Chester said.
“I have already been approached by several Gippsland students who have deferred from university and are working toward their goal – and now advise they can no longer afford to go to Melbourne to study.
“At at time when we should be reducing the economic barriers to help country students attend university, these changes show that the Federal Government has not given enough consideration to the extra costs borne by country families sending students away for tertiary studies.”