Bruce Scott (Maranoa, National Party) Share this | Hansard source

I rise tonight to speak on the Social Security and Other Legislation Amendment (Income Support for Students) Bill 2009, which if passed will have a significant impact on current gap year students and, indeed, all high school students not only in my electorate but right across Australia. As students are doing exams right now, they are wondering what the future holds in relation to access to Commonwealth support. It is very confusing scene out there for so many students. It is rather ironic that this legislation has been introduced by the Minister for Social Inclusion, because this bill will exclude—not include—so many rural and regional students whose parents just do not have the money to foot the bill for their own children’s tertiary education. These are students who have to leave home to gain access to post-secondary education.

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