Alannah Mactiernan (Perth, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Earlier this week I wrote to the gen Ys in my electorate of Perth to highlight some of the ways in which the Abbott government's first budget will affect their future. It is pretty clear from the responses that there is very tangible concern in our community about the impact changes to of Newstart and university fees. Can I give you a few samples of the responses. First of all we had Jessica. She is a 24-year-old honours student. She writes:

Had it not been for HECS, of which I have a debt of $20,000, I would not have been able to attend University. I come from a low socioeconomic single parent family.

She goes on:

For the last four years, in order to support myself through Uni and keep surviving after graduation, I have worked in a low paying hospitality job—

one that the previous speaker, the member for Fisher, wants to cut the pay for—

where I have to wake up at 3am and walk 3km to start work at 4am. There is no public transport so early and I cannot afford to purchase or run a car. I make $25,000 per year. That's it. I am also a casual so I have no job security, no sick pay and no holiday pay.

It is a familiar story. We also heard from Dom. Dom says:

At 27, I can count on one hand the amount of mates who have a full time or even permanent job where they get sick leave or paid holidays. The majority of them are on casual or short term contracts, spanning a few weeks or a school term—and that's the ones that can get jobs. These are teachers, lawyers, nurses, tradies—people who have put a huge amount of time and effort … into getting skilled up.

Another constituent, Chris, writes:

I feel for those who study general bachelor degrees such as arts and science, that then struggle to find jobs. Factors such as the cost of buying a first home will only widen the gap of opportunity between the previous generations and the younger ones.

Another, Jordan says:

As someone who has worked since I was 14, and paid taxes as soon as I was eligible, what do these new laws regarding unemployment assistance 'Newstart' and youth allowance mean for me?

Well, Jordan, Jessica pretty much sums it up. Jessica writes:

I can only assume that if I was to lose my job next month I'd become homeless in a fortnight. It seems the Liberals believe every person under 30 has the same advantages they once had. They expect parents to support young people until they're 30. I do not have parents, or family, to support me. I am completely on my own. Unless I'm expected to beg my pensioner grandparents to share what little they've got, which sadly, is even less than I have.

These are not bludgers: these are young people who want to earn; these are young people who want to learn. They want to— (Time expired)