Fight For Student Allowances

30 July 2002

Greens And United Future Must Fight For Student Allowances

The New Zealand University Students’ Association is calling on the Green and United Future parties to make sure that increased access to student living allowances is a central part of their negotiations with Labour to form a government.

“All three parties support increased access to allowances. Labour promised to increase access to student allowances, the Greens pledged a universal allowance and United Future’s policy is an allowance for all students over 20. There is enough common ground to secure substantially increased eligibility for allowances,” said NZUSA Co-President Andrew Campbell.

“During the election campaign Labour refused to back up their pledge of increasing access to allowances with the number of students that would benefit. It is now up to the Greens and United Future to keep them honest and make sure substantially more students get access to an allowance over the next three years,” said Campbell.

“Last term Labour received a lot of support for its no interest on student loans while studying policy. Students want to see a universal allowance as a key plank of this term of government,” said Campbell.

“Student debt rose by two billion dollars in the last three years. We now know that to curb the student debt problem we need to address the reasons students borrow. A universal living allowance means that students don’t have to borrow to cover basic living expenses such as rent, power and food,” said Campbell.

“If the next government is serious about addressing the student debt crisis then it should increase access to student allowances,” said Campbell.

ENDS

For further information please contact
NZUSA Co-President Andrew Campbell
Wk: 04 498 2500 Cell: 0274 86 86 77

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