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Independence criteria for Youth Allowance not fair for country families
26-October-2009
MEDIA RELEASE
For immediate release
Independence criteria for Youth Allowance not fair for country families
Julia Gillard’s statements following the May budget that she will be encouraging more kids to go on to university studies will not apply to country kids furthering their education if the current Youth Allowance Bill before Parliament this week gets through the Senate.
Changes to Social Security legislation is being debated in Parliament this week and the Coalition has been lobbying strongly for the Labor Government to re-assess its impact on rural and regional students
“Julia Gillard and Mr Rudd have just not listened to concerns of the rural and regional MP’s, high school teachers, universities and student union bodies,” Ms Ley said
“This Government will be punishing children from middle income families who need to live away from home to study.”
“They have read the Bradley Review report statements that most of those on Youth Allowance who meet the independence criteria still live at home and that is the only scenario they can imagine.”
That is just not the case for students in my electorate and in fact, those in most rural electorates in Australia. They cannot live at home. Do Ms Gillard and Mr Rudd think they are going to do a 700km round trip each day just to sleep at their parents homes?”, Ms Ley said.
“The criteria to work 30 hours per week for 18 months out of the previous 2 year period is outrageous. Where will kids get that number of hours work if they are already at university and when will they study and attend university?”
Ms Ley read out correspondence from the Finley High School P and C in her speech and also referred to numerous other representations that she had received from all around the electorate.
“Julia Gillard has said that it will remove the need for a gap year. I disagree, it will discourage many students from even going to university. ”
“If we want to correct the serious lack of representation of rural students in undergraduate and post graduate degrees as well as the professions, this legislation cannot be allowed to pass," Ms Ley said.