Grants under the Rural Tertiary Hardship Fund don’t go far enough to help regional students afford tertiary studies, the Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Regional Education, Senator Fiona Nash, said. The federal government released the criteria for the grants last Friday – two weeks past the deadline and in the shadow of a senate inquiry hearing into the Independent Youth Allowance. The $20 million Rural Tertiary Hardship Fund was a deal the Labor government made with the Greens to get its youth allowance legislation through the senate early this year. The legislation includes unfair changes to the Independent Youth Allowance eligibility criteria, to the detriment of thousands students living in `inner regional’ areas. “The Rural Tertiary Hardship Fund allows for one-off grants of $3000 towards the cost of studies but when you do the sums, it’s equivalent to about $40 a fortnight over a three year degree. While it may offer some relief, fixing the Independent Youth Allowance would provide much better assistance for these regional students,” Senator Nash said. “These students often have to relocate to further their studies, costing them tens of thousands of dollars a year. A senate inquiry heard last Friday of the worrying effect this kind of financial pressure is having on students, their parents and local communities.” The inquiry was told parents are thinking of leaving their jobs and moving the family elsewhere just so their children can qualify. It also heard of the emotional and financial toll the floods are having on regional families, on top of the pressure of finding money to pay for their children’s education – again, because they may not qualify for Independent Youth Allowance. “The message was loud and clear – the government must make the Independent Youth Allowance fair to all students living in regional and remote areas,” Senator Nash said. “It can be done by simply supporting my bill to amend the legislation.”
Grants under the Rural Tertiary Hardship Fund don’t go far enough to help regional students afford tertiary studies, the Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Regional Education, Senator Fiona Nash, said.
The federal government released the criteria for the grants last Friday – two weeks past the deadline and in the shadow of a senate inquiry hearing into the Independent Youth Allowance.
The $20 million Rural Tertiary Hardship Fund was a deal the Labor government made with the Greens to get its youth allowance legislation through the senate early this year. The legislation includes unfair changes to the Independent Youth Allowance eligibility criteria, to the detriment of thousands students living in `inner regional’ areas.
“The Rural Tertiary Hardship Fund allows for one-off grants of $3000 towards the cost of studies but when you do the sums, it’s equivalent to about $40 a fortnight over a three year degree. While it may offer some relief, fixing the Independent Youth Allowance would provide much better assistance for these regional students,” Senator Nash said.
“These students often have to relocate to further their studies, costing them tens of thousands of dollars a year. A senate inquiry heard last Friday of the worrying effect this kind of financial pressure is having on students, their parents and local communities.”
The inquiry was told parents are thinking of leaving their jobs and moving the family elsewhere just so their children can qualify. It also heard of the emotional and financial toll the floods are having on regional families, on top of the pressure of finding money to pay for their children’s education – again, because they may not qualify for Independent Youth Allowance.
“The message was loud and clear – the government must make the Independent Youth Allowance fair to all students living in regional and remote areas,” Senator Nash said.
“It can be done by simply supporting my bill to amend the legislation.”
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