Youth allowance hope
ll done: Sarah Maskall and Lisa Richards have finished their Year 12 exams and are now preparing for the future.
THE process is in motion to change youth allowance to include inner regional students as well as outer-regional and remote students.
The notice of motion was endorsed in the House of Representatives on October 28 with 74 votes in favour and 70 against.
Nationals senator and opposition regional education spokeswoman Fiona Nash said the 74-70 vote was: “The first crack in the edifice of the agreement that the government has with the rural independents to put rural issues front and centre.”
A private senator’s bill was also introduced to the Senate on October 28. It is yet to be decided when it will be debated.
In simpler language, if this bill gets approved, the students in this area will be able to receive youth allowance if they earn about $20,000 in 18 months.
Anna Synan took a GAP year this year. She knew the youth allowance rules were changing in March 2010 but she wanted to earn the money anyway.
Now that the rules may be changing back again, Ms Synan is very happy she deferred.
“It will make it a lot easier when I move to the city next year,” she said.
Tess Ennoss also deferred and has been working full time at LJ Hooker in Inverloch. She is very confused about youth allowance as they keep on changing it.
“It’s very hard to keep up with and it’s hard to know what I’m eligible for,” she said.
A few Year 12 students from Mary MacKillop are also very confused about the changing youth allowance.
Sarah Maskall has decided to defer from University next year to work for six months and then travel for six months. If the new changes come into effect and if she earns the right amount of money within 18 months she might be eligible for youth allowance.
Students are too confused about the changes to know if they will be eligible for it.
Michael Fowles is planning to study Arts/Commerce at Australian Catholic University next year. He would like to receive youth allowance however he does not want to have to defer to receive it.
If the Federal Parliament changes youth allowance again, it would enable students in inner regional areas to receive it.
It would make the lives of those wishing to study a lot easier.
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