Senator Natasha Stott Despoja
Democrats Senator for South Australia
Australian Democrats spokesperson for Higher Education
| Dated: 20 September 2007
Portfolio: Higher Education
Related: Family & Community Services
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Finally, Rent Assistance for Austudy students
| The extension of Rent Assistance to Austudy recipients, passed in the Senate today, is welcome but long overdue, according to the Australian Democrats.
Democrats’ Higher Education Spokesperson Senator Natasha Stott Despoja has long campaigned for Rent Assistance to be available to all students, regardless of their age. Yet, until now, only students under 25 (on Youth Allowance) have been able to access rent relief from the Government.
In July 2005, Senator Stott Despoja launched a postcard campaign and petition for Rent Assistance to be extended to Austudy recipients. More than 1500 people signed the petition.
"I am glad the Government has finally resolved this bizarre anomaly, where older students were assumed to have lower costs than students under 25," Senator Stott Despoja said.
"We know from numerous reports and anecdotal evidence that students are facing an uphill battle to pay their way through university, and this decision will make a small but important difference to Austudy recipients.
"However, the Government has a long way to go to improve student income support measures, which are well below the poverty line and difficult to access.
"I call on the Government to now consider increasing income support payments at least to the poverty line; decreasing the age of independence from 25 to 18; removing the GST from textbooks; and ensuring all student scholarships are exempt from the income test and tax-free.
"This election, I will ensure the Government is confronted with these issues," Senator Stott Despoja said.
In 2004, Senator Stott Despoja initiated the only Senate inquiry to look solely at student income support measures. Reporting in June 2005, the committee recommended that Rent Assistance be extended to Austudy recipients, subject to a Government costing.
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