Fiona Nash (NSW, National Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Regional Education) Share this | Hansard source

by leave—I amend, in the terms circulated in the chamber, general business notice of motion No. 188 standing in my name for today relating to the eligibility criteria for independent youth allowance, before asking that it be taken as a formal motion. I amend part 1(b) by adding the words: ‘notes that the broad purpose of the review is to find a permanent solution to address the disadvantages that currently exists for rural and regional students in qualifying for financial assistance’. I now move:

That the Senate—

(a)

notes that the Government:

(i)

has admitted there is a problem with the criteria for independent youth allowance for inner regional students,

(ii)

has committed to bringing forward its review of the matter and notes that the broad purpose of the review is to find a permanent solution to address the disadvantages that currently exist for rural and regional students in qualifying for financial assistance, and

(iii)

has indicated it will remove the difference between the inner regional areas and the other regional zones for the eligibility criteria for independent youth allowance;

(b)

calls on the Government to bring forward its timetable for resolving the matter and, in particular, ensure that:

(i)

the review is completed and funds to pay for the measure are secured by 1 July 2011,

(ii)

that the current eligibility criteria for independent youth allowance for persons whose homes are located in Outer Regional Australia, Remote Australia and Very Remote Australia according to the Remoteness Structure defined in subsection 1067A(10F) of the Social Security Act 1991 also apply to those with homes in Inner Regional Australia from 1 July 2011, and

(iii)

all students who had a gap year in 2010 (that is, 2009 year 12 school leavers) and who meet the relevant criteria qualify for the payment; and

(c)

sends a message to the House of Representatives informing it of this resolution and requesting it concur.