Following resolutions introduced by western New South Wales delegates, the Isolated Children’s Parents’ Association federal council will be lobbying for changes to the criteria of the tertiary Relocation Scholarship, so that it can be accessed by students that aren’t eligible for dependent Youth Allowance.
Bourke’s Tanya Mitchell told the federal ICPA conference in Alice Springs that students leaving home to study the year after completing Year 12 should be eligible regardless of whether they can receive any other allowance because they were all, by necessity, moving to a new place.
“This allowance was established to ensure students who had to undergo a process of relocation would not have the unfair financial burden of a move compared to those who are able to live locally and study,” she said.
“It would actually appear to be less just, as they unable to access Youth Allowance and they are also not eligible for the Relocation Scholarship.
“If you’re a student already living in a city, mum and dad are supplying you with food, a bed, electricity – you don’t have to put thought into the basics.”
Her eldest child is due to start university next year and with three other children in boarding school, the family isn’t able to support the one heading to tertiary study.
Fellow Bourke branch member, Anna McCorkle said it was “just not a level playing field”.
“We’re not eligible for the Assistance for Isolated Children allowance because we live too close to Bourke, and we’re both PAYG earners so there’s no financial assistance at all.”
A lobby for a tertiary access allowance has been on federal ICPA’s books for some years, because in Skye Bragg’s words, the cost for geographically isolated students creates “yet another barrier” to education.
Her daughters each had to take a year off study, and remain motivated to return, in order to earn enough money to attend university.
Anna said that just because it wasn’t advancing with government, they weren’t prepared to drop their lobby.
“We’re looking for ways to tweak it, hence these motions about changing the criteria,” she said.
The Rankin Springs branch had a similar motion, requesting the federal government introduce a tertiary equity allowance for students who need to live away from the family home to access tertiary education who are not eligible for the Relocation Scholarship, carried.
Its explanation described the current circumstances as inequitable, because all students who need to move away from home to access tertiary education incur the same costs.
Sally Gall
Based at Blackall, CW Qld, where I've raised a family, run Merino sheep and beef cattle, and helped develop a region - its history, tourism, education and communications. Get in touch at 0427 575 955 if you've got a story idea for me.
Based at Blackall, CW Qld, where I've raised a family, run Merino sheep and beef cattle, and helped develop a region - its history, tourism, education and communications. Get in touch at 0427 575 955 if you've got a story idea for me.
