Anne Ruston (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Families and Social Services) Share this | Hansard source

I'd like to thank Senator O'Sullivan for his question and for his obvious and significant interest in rural and remote communities in Australia. The Morrison government understands the importance of education and the ability for children all over Australia to have access to the resources that they need for their education. I'm delighted to be able to announce that the Morrison government will introduce a bill today to boost support to more than 2,000 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families with children who need to live away from home to access secondary education. Through these changes, the delivery of an additional $36.4 million in support over the next four years—which means approximately $5,900 per year for these students and the costs associated with them going to boarding school—will be extended to these families.

The bill will extend the family tax benefit part B to eligible secondary students aged 16 who receive ABSTUDY assistance to study away from home. This is a very significant investment, one of which this government is very proud. Amendments introduced by this bill will also build on the measure of 50 years of ABSTUDY. This includes better, fairer and more flexible travel provisions and the portability of ABSTUDY benefits if students change schools. Many remote Indigenous communities have no secondary school, so boarding school is often the only opportunity that they have if their students wish to complete their high school. The financial cost of going to boarding school can be extremely high, and this provides a disincentive for families to continue to send their children to school. It is particularly a disincentive to attaining year 12 qualifications. This is putting at risk the performance of students and their completion of year 12. We know that children who complete year 12 are in a much better position to transition to work in adulthood and be contributing members of their society. Ensuring that FTB is extended to cover any costs associated with boarding relieves financial pressures.