Senator Fiona Nash

Senate ends “618-day rip-off” of regional students

One of the most controversial weeks of Australian parliamentary history ended on Friday with the Senate restoring fair Youth Allowance treatment for students from inner regional areas, according to Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Regional Education, Senator Fiona Nash.

“The Gillard Labor Government has taken 618 long, long days to finally put legislation through the Chamber to reverse its own regional student rip-off,” Senator Nash said.

In March 2010, the ALP Government passed legislation that subjected students living in communities classified as ‘inner regional’ to a much tougher set of criteria to access Independent Youth Allowance payments.

“The changes the government made then were simply unfair for regional students. It put the spotlight on how arrogant and out of touch with regional communities this Labor government really is,” Senator Nash said.

“A sustained campaign by those regional communities and the Coalition eventually forced another Labor Government backflip.

“Legislation passed today means students who live in inner regional areas will be able to access independent youth allowance under the single gap year criterion, earning a lump sum of around $20,000p.a, instead of the current unfair 30 hour per week average over two years.

“Regional students and their families should never have been in this appalling position in the first place. All regional students deserve to be treated fairly.

“To top it off, because of Labor’s guillotine in the Senate this week, we weren’t even able to speak on the Bill.

“People right across the country will be shocked to know that this Labor government took away the democratic right of Australians to have their voice heard through their parliamentary representatives.

“Labor should hang their head in shame that they took so long to reinstate fairness for regional students. This is something regional families will not forget,” Senator Nash concluded.