Monday 21 February 2011
YOUTH ALLOWANCE WIN FOR HOBART AND GLENORCHY STUDENTS
The Independent Member for Denison, Andrew Wilkie, has welcomed changes to Youth Allowance that will make university more affordable for students living in inner-regional areas like Hobart and Glenorchy.
The Federal Government announced today, that in response to pressure from Mr Wilkie and other Independents, it would scrap unfair Youth Allowance eligibility distinctions between inner-regional and outer-regional students from January 2012.
This means from next year, students living in inner-regional areas will be treated the same as their outer-regional peers when it comes to being assessed as independent and eligible for Youth Allowance.
Mr Wilkie said the change would make tertiary education a possibility for thousands more students.
“A lot of students simply can’t afford to go to university if they can’t get Youth Allowance,’’ he said.
“Other students have had to pay their own way and work long hours on top of their studies just to make ends meet.
“Getting a university degree should be affordable to all and students should not be financially punished on the basis of their postcode.’’
Mr Wilkie’s electorate of Denison is classified as inner regional and many people living in Hobart and Glenorchy have either had to defer university or juggle work and study.
Mr Wilkie has been a strong and vocal advocate for a fairer go for students and last year supported a motion from the Opposition to eliminate the geographical discrimination in eligibility distinctions.
Mr Wilkie rejected an alternative plan from the Coalition that would have delivered a similar outcome, because it relied on a Private Members Bill that originated in the Senate and would have been unconstitutional.
