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Students release Budget wishlist
22 May 2017
Students release Budget wishlist
The New Zealand Union of Students’ Associations (NZUSA) has released a list of changes it says will begin to restore access to tertiary education ahead of this Thursday’s Government Budget announcement. The desired changes come amid findings of student hardship in a recent Unitec survey, as well as NZUSA’s 2017 Income and Expenditure Report.
National President Jonathan Gee said the rising cost of living, in particular skyrocketing rents, were locking out too many New Zealanders from tertiary education.
“There is an increasing poverty of opportunity for many New Zealanders who choose not to enter tertiary study simply because they cannot afford it. The upcoming Budget is also a chance for the Government to provide urgent relief for many students struggling to afford rent, let alone food and other basic needs.’
The average rent price for a room in central Auckland has now exceeded $250, surpassing the maximum Student Allowance and Accommodation Benefit of $218. For the 70% of students locked out of the Student Allowance, rent prices are well above the $178.81 of Student Loan living costs. The situation is similar in Wellington, where the average rent price is approximately $218, up 10% since November 2016 in dramatic contrast to the increase in student support of just $1 in that same period.
Students’ Budget
Wishlist:
1. Introduce a housing grant
for all students. This grant would be variable to
target the cities where weekly rent is consuming over 100%
of current levels of student
support.
2. Introduce a national First in Family
scholarship. This scholarship would be targeted at
families with no history of degree-level study. This will
increase participation from underrepresented communities in
tertiary education.
3. Reform the unfair 12c
repayment rate on Student Loans.
Replace it with an Australian-style progressive repayment system so that those on lower incomes pay less and can have enough take home pay to survive.
4. Restore postgraduate allowances. The cut has hurt New Zealanders who should be supported to research and innovate, and is especially significant as teaching qualifications shift to Masters level
5. Raise the parental income threshold on Student Allowance. Only 30% of student have access to the Allowance. Raise the threshold to a reasonable rate so fewer students graduate with unmanageable debt.
6. Restore the national significance exceptions on Student Allowance. Make an exception to the 200-week limit on Allowances, by restoring a category of qualifications of national significance. This would support student pursuing qualifications such as medicine, optometry, dentistry and veterinary science.
7. Restore full access for over-40s to Student Allowances and Allowances and Loans for over-65s. Many New Zealanders enter tertiary education later in life to upskill and retrain. Don’t discriminate against them purely because of their age.
8. Lift the course-related costs loan cap. This has been frozen at $1000 since 1993. Students are getting into bank and credit card debt just to pay for basics like upfront hall costs and necessary educational materials.
NZUSA is the
national voice of students in tertiary education. The
organisation is governed by students’ associations from
universities and polytechnics around the
country.
ENDS
NZUSA - New Zealand Union of Students' Associations
We stand for opportunity, for all.
NZUSA is the New Zealand Union of Students' Associations, the national body that represents New Zealand's students' associations and the interests of New Zealand's 400,000 students at universities, polytechnics and in trades training.
We conduct original research, advocate to Government and through the media, and support New Zealand's students' associations to be more effective on behalf of their members. We advocate alongside Te Mana Akonga – The National Māori Students' Association, and Tertiary Women New Zealand – The NZUSA Women's Caucus.
Since 1929, we've believed in a society rich in opportunity, where anyone from anywhere can become any thing. We support accessible, affordable quality public tertiary education.
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