28 July, 2004

Ogilvy acknowledges student petition

United Future would lower the burden of student loan debt by addressing living and tuition expenses separately, its education spokesman, Bernie Ogilvy, said today.

"We would support means-tested living allowances for those who need them, thereby addressing the overall student debt burden," Mr Ogilvy said after student representatives presented a 35,000-signature petition on student living allowances to Parliament's Education Select Committee.

Mr Ogilvy said there were a number of ways to address the cost burdens facing students, including bonding schemes in certain disciplines where years served working in set fields can work off student debt.

"And in this year's Budget, United Future also successfully pushed the Government to lift parent income thresholds that had remained unchanged since 1992

"And we continue to advocate assessing allowances based on students' income, not that of their parents, from the age of 20, rather than 25 as it is today," he said.

"United Future is committed to making education what it once was - a milestone, not a millstone," Mr Ogilvy said.

ENDS

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