February 24, 2010

The Federal Coalition aims to provide certainty to tertiary students by splitting the Bill relating to changes to Youth Allowance, Federal MP Luke Hartsuyker said today.

Mr Hartsuyker said by splitting the Bill, there was an opportunity to allow the passage of the non contentious changes to Youth Allowance and Commonwealth scholarships.  “The reality is the Government changes to Youth Allowance will hit students from regional areas hard,” Mr Hartsuyker said.

“The policy is not good for regional Australia and that is why we don’t support it. The Rudd Government is playing with the lives of students on this issue and the Coalition is standing firm – particularly in relation to the proposed changes to eligibility for Independent Youth Allowance. The changes mean many students from regional areas won’t be able to afford a tertiary education.

“The measures also unfairly penalise students because they are retrospective and therefore will apply to those who last year, in good faith, commenced their gap year.  The Coalition cannot support legislation that cuts out the ‘gap year’ pathway to Independent Youth Allowance for students who must leave home to attend University. If this is cut it is essential a realistic alternative pathway is put in place.”

Mr Hartsuyker said the Rudd Government had mismanaged the student assistance measures from the beginning.  "Last year they abolished Commonwealth scholarships without having an alternative in place and then shut down debate on the Youth Allowance changes. This has left some of Australia’s neediest students in the lurch.  Then they tried to ram the Youth Allowance changes through the Parliament by including the changes in the same legislation that proposes new scholarships.

“The Coalition supports the proposed new scholarships. But we believe the government must separate the scholarships from the Youth Allowances measures and allow the Parliament to vote on them separately. This will allow students to access grants immediately.”