Youth Allowance to be reinstated
September 23, 2011
INDEPENDENT Youth Allowance for all country students will be reinstated.
Shepparton Adviser
By Nadia Surace
As part of a $265 million package, subject to a passage of legislation, students from inner regional areas will be able to access independent youth allowance under the same rules that apply to students from outer regional, remote and very remote areas from January 1.
Any employment undertaken over the period since a student has left school will be counted towards the independence test, even if that work was done prior to January 1.
Federal Member for Murray, Dr Sharman Stone said that the announcement was excellent news.
“While the scheme is still not perfect, at least it gives families some hope of being able to support their students to take up university offers,” Dr Stone said.
“Everyone knows that our country professionals, our nurses, teachers, doctors, lawyers and surveyors are most likely those that are born and bred in country areas.
“By making it impossible for country students to take up university places, the Gillard Government was paving the way for more skills shortages in country areas in the future.
“I want to congratulate all of those students, parents and other community members, grandparents, cousins and brothers and sisters who marched in the streets. We held rallies in the Shepparton mall; we had thousands of names on petitions which were presented to Parliament. The community effort was enormous, but it has finally paid off.”
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