Julia Gillard (Lalor, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Prime Minister) Share this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Corangamite for his question. I know that, like me, he is concerned that the students we are talking about, who are missing out on scholarships, missing out on relocation scholarships and missing out on youth allowance, are real people. They are real Australians, young Australians, who want to go to university to improve their life chances and life prospects.

I would say to the Leader of the Opposition that he needs to consider the circumstances of these individual Australians. I know that the member for Corangamite is concerned about the circumstance of Wilfred Hawkins. Wilfred Hawkins is a hardworking student living in Geelong, presumably in the electorate of Corio or the electorate of Corangamite. Wilfred Hawkins will be studying science at Melbourne university this year, but if the Leader of the Opposition does not ask his senators—indeed, instruct his senators—to pass our bill Wilfred Hawkins will miss out on the new $4,000 relocation scholarship and student start-up scholarship worth $1,434 next year and $2,254 after that—a real human being who is going to be hurt by the conduct of the Leader of the Opposition.

What will the Leader of the Opposition say to Rachel Durant from the University of Technology? Rachel is president of the Students’ Association. She will potentially benefit from the changes to the personal income test and the new scholarships once the legislation is passed.

Or what would the Leader of the Opposition say to one of my very own constituents: Tonia Bassett. Tonia Bassett’s daughter has to move to Queensland to go to university. Centrelink has advised her that her daughter will benefit from higher youth allowance and new scholarships once the legislation has passed. These are three young Australians who will not get these extra benefits unless the Leader of the Opposition acts and says to his senators that his senators must pass this bill.

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