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National Union of Students respond to COAG Youth Allowance changes |
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Saturday, 23 May 2009 |
Media Release
National Union of Students respond to COAG Youth Allowance changes
David Barrow, President of the National Union of Students said “Young people stripped of their youth allowance payments are being unfairly characterised as dole bludgers”.
“Education and training is costly. Jobless youth cannot access VET and University if the government does not index youth allowance to today’s CPI. Add together costs of textbooks, transport, rent, equipment and course fees and you can see why 78’000 young allowance recipients aren’t already in study” he said.
“It is good to see that the government is expanding the number of tertiary and training places. A renewed government focus on education will help our generation through the recession” he said.
“However the COAG policy is all stick and no carrot. The Federal Government should increase youth allowance and stop pandering to the outdated stereotype of lazy young people. Most of us have been working since we were 14” he concluded.
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