Gillard backflip does not satisfy the Coalition
26 Aug 2009
Media release Pressure from the Coalition and students has forced Julia Gillard to admit she was wrong on Youth Allowance. However her humiliating back flip still leaves 25,000 students in the cold next year, and fails to fix the long term disadvantage faced by country students, according to Shadow Education Minister Christopher Pyne.
"Julia Gillard has managed a spectacular combination in this morning's announcement. She has humiliated herself by backing down on something she was adamant didn't need fixing. But despite backing down, she still hasn't fixed the problem,""said Mr Pyne.
"There are two main problems with Julia Gillard's original changes.
1) There are 30,700 students taking a gap year in 2009 who have had the rug pulled from under their feet. Julia Gillard's changes today will allow 5,000 of this group from very remote areas to access youth allowance, but this leaves more than 25,000 students out in the cold. This includes students who live well over an hour from any higher education facility.
"2) Students from farming or rural business families who have not yet finished school are being shut out from higher education unless they can find eighteen months work at 30 hours per week. Julia Gillard's changes do nothing for this group at all.
"Julia Gillard's back flip today will help only 5,000 students of the 30,000 she has cut off from Youth Allowance next year, and none into the future.
"Students in rural and regional Australia are currently preparing for their year 12 exams with the knowledge that no matter how well they do, if they need the income that Youth Allowance provides, they won't be able to go to University next year.
"Students who live 85 minutes from University, who are currently on a gap year, are still being left in the cold. It seems that Julia Gillard expects them to live at home and commute to University - the cost of which will prevent many of these students from realising their Higher Education dreams.
"The Coalition is not satisfied with the Minister's backflip and will continue to press for changes when the Bill is introduced.
"Julia Gillard seems to expect credit when no credit is due."
August 26, 2009
Media contact:
Adam Howard 0400 414 833