Rudd Labor shuts down debate on Youth Allowance
19th August, 2009
The Rudd Labor Government today shut down a debate in the House of Representatives on a motion regarding its controversial changes to the Youth Allowance that threaten the ability of students from regional communities to attend university, Federal Member for Wide Bay, Warren Truss said. “The Government had an opportunity to explain and defend its policy in the Parliament, but instead Julia Gillard and Anthony Albanese chose to shut down the debate,” Mr Truss said.
Current gap year students who have worked for at least 15 months over an
18 month period or have earned more than $19,532 will be unfairly disadvantaged by the Government’s proposed changes. From 1 January, they will need to have worked at least 30 hours a week for 18 months in a two year period to qualify.
“These changes will make it harder for students from regional areas to pursue their university aspirations.
“The Rudd Government is discriminating against regional students through its tertiary education policies and destroying the higher education dreams of tens of thousands of young Australians in rural and regional Australia,” Mr Truss said.
“My office has received many calls from young people and their families anxious about their academic futures and ability to obtain the qualifications they need to make a contribution to their communities through their working life.
“Students from regional areas do not have the same level of access to tertiary institutions that city students do. By shutting down the ‘gap year’ provision to access Youth Allowance, the Rudd Labor Government will remove the opportunity for tertiary study for some students altogether.”
To protect students who would be caught by the Government’s changes, the Coalition is planning to move amendments to the legislation when it comes on for debate.
“The Coalition will move amendments to delay the start date for the abolition of the gap year provision from 1 January 2010 to 1 January 2011 to help those young Australians currently on a gap year. In
Government we will offer a targeted scholarship program for country students and we will fix the ridiculous Rudd Government’s proposal requiring young people to look for full time work for 18 months so they can qualify as independent."
