Labour joins the top of the class

www.ausa.auckland.ac.nz

Media Release – 13 October 2008 – For Immediate Use

Labour joins the top of the class

Auckland students welcome Labour's commitment today to reintroducing a universal student allowance from 2009 onwards. Labour now joins the political and public consensus that supports a universal student allowance.

“This is excellent news for young people, their families, and the country. A universal student allowance is a justified future investment in our young people, so they can focus on their studies and graduate with less debt,” says AUSA President David Do.

“While the implementation is not as immediate as we would have liked, we understand the Government’s motivation given the current economic situation. Nevertheless, this is a significant commitment by a major party to a universal student allowance,” says Do.

While students and their families will cast their vote on a variety of issues, AUSA urges them to consider who is committed to properly supporting them through their studies through a universal allowance.

For those voting on the allowances issue, they have one more to add to a wide range of choices. The Green, Maori, United Future, New Zealand First, Progressive, and Alliance political parties have all long supported a universal allowance. Labour now joins their ranks.

AUSA now looks forward to a truly bipartisan commitment on student support from the National Party.

“National has already matched Labour’s commitment to no interest on student loans. We look forward to National now matching today’s announcement with the same bipartisan commitment to reduce debt on young people and support people as they grow through higher education,” says AUSA President David Do.

“The National Party is well aware of the problems many students and families are facing.

Their health workforce policy, which writes off debt for some doctors and nurses, shows they recognise student debt as a problem."

“Both major parties were responsible for putting in user-pays tertiary education in the early 1990s – let's hope they both commit to this major step back in the right direction,” concludes Do.

ENDS

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