Julia Gillard (Lalor, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Prime Minister) Share this | Hansard source

Thank you, Mr Speaker, as this is a serious topic and I am treating the answer seriously. The Rudd government is also introducing student start-up scholarships. Some 146,000 students will get these. That is a major increase from the 12,900 scholarships available now. And we are introducing 14,200 new relocation scholarships. That is also a major increase on the number of relocation scholarships available now.

The member also asked me about the characterisation of who is ‘independent’ for student income support. This goes to the question of the gap year, which was just raised with me. I can say to the member this on the question of the gap year that he has raised and on the independence test for student income support: the Bradley review found that, in relation to that test, income support was poorly targeted. The Bradley review found that 36 per cent of independent students living at home were from families with incomes over $100,000, 10 per cent in that situation were from families earning more than $150,000 and 10 per cent came from families earning over $200,000. When I received that information from the Bradley review, I was concerned about poor targeting. But I was not the only one. Let me quote something to the member which I think he will find very relevant. Let me quote the following advice I got along the way:

If the government is serious about reform, then come Budget time we should see some consideration given to reforms suggested by Bradley in student income support—to ensure that sufficient support is going to those who need it.

I accepted that advice. It came from the shadow minister for education.

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