Labor Government backdown on Youth Allowance
Wednesday, 17 March 2010
The Coalition has succeeded in eliminating both retrospectivity and creating a pathway for more regional, remote and very remote students to access the independent rate of youth allowance, Federal Member for Curtin Julie Bishop said today.“The Government said it was impossible, but the Coalition has prevailed after negotiations and months of intransigence on the part of the Education Minister Julia Gillard,” Ms Bishop said.
This will assist as many as 7,600 students over the next four years.
While this is a good result, there will still be some young people who may miss out under these changes. The Coalition is committed to addressing rural and regional inequity, ensuring access to higher education for young people outside of cities. If elected we will review this criteria immediately, Ms Bishop said.
“Under the Government’s original changes young people in rural, remote and very remote areas needed to find 30 hours of work a week for 18 months over two years to qualify for the independent rate of youth allowance which was impossible,” she said.
The Government has imposed new boundaries for students, so that those classified as very remote, remote, and outer regional will be able to access youth allowance under the previous rules.
“The students within these boundaries will now be able to qualify by working 15 hours a week over two years or earning $19,532 over an 18 month period as is currently possible under the old rules,” Ms Bishop said.
“It was only due to the Coalitions determination that even this concession was achieved. Now finally scholarships, including vital relocation scholarships will be paid to students.”
