A division of the Liberal Party of Australia
PETITION TO STOP CHANGES TO YOUTH ALLOWANCE ELIGIBILITY
Changes to the eligibility criteria for students to receive independent Youth Allowance that will make it harder for students in rural and regional areas to qualify must be reversed.
North Queensland based Liberal Senator for Queensland, Ian Macdonald, said that these changes would make it much more difficult for rural and regional students to attend University in the cities.
“Young people and their parents should make their opposition known to the Federal Government.”
“I am circulating a petition advocating changes and urge all affected people to sign and distribute the petition.”
“The changes mean that instead of having to earn $19,532 over eighteen months to qualify for independent Youth Allowance, students will now have to work 30 hours per week over two years to be eligible. This is going to fall hardest on those who have to move away from home to study,” Senator Macdonald said.
“As these changes come in from 1 January 2010, those students who have taken a gap year this year to work and earn the $19,532, will now find they don’t qualify for independent Youth Allowance when the Semester I begins next year,”
“Unlike their city counterparts, many regional and rural students have to pay for accommodation when they attend university. Coupled with course fees and paying for books, computers and all the other required equipment, this is a heavy financial burden. Without access to Youth Allowance, for many students it will become an impossible burden.”
“The Coalition is opposing this change to Youth Allowance by the Government, and I am circulating a petition calling on the whole Senate to block these changes. It is important that as many people as possible demonstrate to the Government that they are opposed to these unfair changes,” Senator Macdonald said.