Youth Allowance Forum

1. Youth Allowance Forum • Are you a student, or parent of a student, who deferred a university place in 2009 to earn the $19,500 required to be eligible for Independent Youth Allowance in 2010? • Are you a current student, or their parent, who will have to live away from home in the future to study the course of your choice?

2. Parental Income Test The good news: • The threshold will be lifted from $32,800 to $42,559 from January 1, 2010 • The total parental income cut off points have been raised from $79,000 to 140,000 (for 2 children way from home)

3. Parental Income Test • An additional 68,000 students will become eligible for income support • 35,000 existing recipients will get a higher payment (Spokesperson for Julia Gillard)

4. Parental Income Test The bad news: • Tapering will mean that the children of middle income earners get decreasing amounts of Youth Allowance • Full payment of Youth Allowance is $371.40 a fortnight while the poverty line is $673.12 per fortnight

5. Student Start-up Scholarship The good news: • From 1 January 2010 all university students receiving Youth Allowance will be entitled to a Student Start-up Scholarship of $2,254 for each year of study • The scholarship will help cover the high upfront costs of books and equipment • It will promote access to higher education to students from lower income levels

6. Student Start-up Scholarship The bad news: • A student has to be receiving Youth Allowance to receive the start-up scholarship

7. Relocation Scholarship The good news: • From January 1, 2010 all university students receiving Youth Allowance and who have to live away from the family home to study will receive $4,000 in their first year and $1,000 in the subsequent three years ($6,000 over three years)

8. Relocation Scholarship The bad news: • The Relocation Scholarship is contingent on receiving Youth Allowance • It pays less than the former Commonwealth Accommodation Scholarships which provided $4,324 per year for three years ($12,972)

9. Examples * Examples only- Unconfirmed- figures require confirmation by Centrelink

10. Other Changes The good news: • The amount of money a student can earn before the Youth Allowance is affected is being raised from $236 per fortnight in 2010 to $400 a fortnight from $2011 • The age of independence is gradually being lowered from 25 to 22 in 2012

11. Other Changes The bad news: • From 1 January 2010 the workforce participation criteria for independence will be limited to having worked full time for at least 30 hours per week for at least 18 months in the last 2 years • Can’t qualify for independence by earning $19,500 in 18 months or working 15 hours per week for 2 years

12. For Further Information • Go to the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations website www.deewr.gov.au/HigherEducation/Pages/TransformingAustraliasHESystem.aspx

13. The Political Perspective Statement from: • Senator Sarah Hanson – Young The Greens party, South Australia • Hon Christopher Pyne Shadow Minister for Education, Apprenticeships and Training

14. Regional Disadvantage • Vince Callaghan • Writer of Can My Wallet Afford It? and the Get Smart Guide

15. The Human Rights Perspective • Mary Pendergast • Principal, Warrnambool College

16. The University Perspective • Sue Kilpatrick • Pro Vice-Chancellor (Rural and Regional), Warrnambool Campus, Deakin University

17. Actions for Change Students who deferred in 2009: • Contact Senators to get them to pressure the government to change the date for the introduction of the new criteria for independent status • Sign the circulated petition • Send a recommendation from this forum

18. Actions for Change Students who are regionally disadvantaged: • Contact Senators so that they can push for changes in the Senate • Sign the circulated petition • Send a recommendation from this forum

19. South West LLEN • Email - reception@swllen.net.au • Membership – South West LLEN • WEB address www.swllen.net.au • Keep in contact • Other- keep the ideas for action rolling!!