Senator Fiona Nash

Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Regional Education

Nationals Senator for New South Wales

M E D I A R E L E A S E

15 August 2011

ICPA wants independent youth allowance fixed now Fixing independent youth allowance immediately was high on the agenda at the Isolated Children’s Parents’ Association annual federal conference late last week. The Coalition’s Regional Education spokesperson, Senator Fiona Nash, said the conference agenda included several motions calling on the Gillard government to make independent youth allowance fair to all regional students, no matter where they live. The Minister and the Federal Government should be lobbied to urgently address the inequities in the current Youth Allowance system…. A major concern is that many of the rural and regional areas which have been included within the Inner Regional category may find it increasingly difficult to attract professional families who have children likely to undertake tertiary education, because the costs of such education are so much higher than for their metropolitan counterparts. Tottenham (NSW) branch Moving 600kms plus away from home is a fair indication that these students are independent, so it would be only too obvious that these children should become eligible for independent Youth Allowance. Students who have chosen not to have a gap year, and have been declined dependant Youth Allowance because they have failed the parental means test, have to then financially somehow support themselves until they are eligible to apply for independent Youth Allowance. These students should be putting their efforts into studying their chosen degree not stressing about finding a job in a new environment. Bourke (NSW) branch Families are still struggling with the financial costs of supporting their children while they study, and/or work to gain “independence”. Many courses are not able to be deferred and require students to commence study straight away. The eligibility requirements to gain independent Youth Allowance place significant obstacles in the way of students and their families. Rankin’s Springs (NSW) branch It is to Australia’s benefit to support rural and remote secondary school leavers with tertiary education to enable them to qualify in their chosen career and then to enter the workforce as skilled employees. It is the rural and remote students who are most likely to willingly fill the skills shortage in regional Australia. Moonie (QLD) branch There were also motions calling on the government to make Relocation Scholarships available to regional students receiving Independent Youth Allowance. At the moment, only `dependent’ students are eligible. This is not fair and deprives affected students of approximately $8,000 (2011 figures) over a four-year degree. Relocation costs do not differ for students who must leave home to access tertiary studies just because they receive a different rate of Youth Allowance – there are significant travel expenses during semester breaks, the cost of setting up in a flat or unit, (if applicable), as well as the cost of moving all belongings into and out of accommodation at the beginning and end of the year. All students who must leave home to access tertiary studies and who live in Inner Regional, Outer

Regional, Remote or Very Remote areas of Australia, should be eligible for a Relocation Scholarship, regardless of their Youth Allowance status. Burren Junction (NSW) branch The government has acknowledged there is a cost associated with relocating with the introduction of the Relocation Scholarships for dependent Youth Allowance recipients who have to relocate. This scholarship must be extended to include the independent students who have to relocate, often enormous distances. Walgett (NSW) branch Senator Nash noted the strong support for a Tertiary Access Allowance to assist students who have no choice but to relocate. “The ICPA is a prominent education stakeholder and its annual conference is attended by committed parents from across the country,” Senator Nash said. “The unanimous support for the motions on independent youth allowance sends a strong message to the Prime Minister and Tertiary Education Minister to fix the inequity now, not next year.” Senator Nash said the government should this week release the report from the review of student income assistance reforms, including independent youth allowance. “Under the Terms of Reference, the report is to be tabled in each house of parliament within 10 sitting days from when the Minister received the report, that is by the 14th of September,” she said. “Parliament sits this week so the sooner the better. Regional students and their families have suffered unnecessarily for too long.”

Media contact: Nicky McMillan 02 6035 8246 / 0439 438 500