Matt Gregg (Deakin, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I would also like to extend my thanks to the member for Indi for raising this very important topic, which relates to paid practicums. I remember, about 12 years ago now, being a student teacher and living in a caravan in Dimboola while completing a regional placement. It is a hard slog trying to juggle the cost of living, which for many students is a week-by-week proposition, and the significant expense of trying to make it through a placement without incurring unimaginable debt. That's why I'm so proud that, for the first time in its history, the Australian government has stepped up and taken decisive action in response to practicum poverty, which does occur.

For the first time, we're seeing over $330 a week paid to students in teaching, nursing, midwifery and social work. It is just the start of this mission. It reflects the Australian Universities Accord's final report, which indicated an initial introduction where government funds the payments to particular course areas but which also indicated that we need to consider placement poverty across other areas as well, including allied health. And there is certainly more consideration to be given to how we support those students as they complete their sometimes far lengthier placements. For this model, the Commonwealth has stepped up and used Commonwealth funds to pay the cost of the initiative. I think it's an incredibly important part of the government's work in supporting young people on their education journey—which is work that begins from child care, which is full and fair funding for our public schools, which is free TAFE, which is increased support for our university sector and which is a clear set of policies to support the future of higher education moving forward.

It's incredibly common for students to be living week by week and covering the rent at home while they're on a placement—particularly if the placement happens to be far from where they live. I've met a number of students who have gone through that. I've met students in the past who have failed their placement simply because they couldn't sustain the costs, or those that didn't start them at all because they simply could not afford to not work for two weeks without finding themselves in dire financial straits. This reflects, then, a real acknowledgement of the problem. I think it was important, despite covering the scope of initial recommendations, that the government put in a three-year timeframe for the review of the paid practicum placements, knowing that it would need to revisit its scope and how it's put into effect, and, as has been said by previous speakers, with an eye to whether it is necessary to expand the program to other areas as well, including allied health.

We should be incredibly proud of the initiative this government has put in to ensure that the initial investment takes action to deal with placement poverty—knowing full well that this is not the end of the story and that this is going to likely be the beginning of one. Nevertheless, it's an important step. But the investment needs to also be seen in the context of the vast amount of reform we're seeing from this government in the education space. This isn't just a single initiative and 'that's all we've done in the education space'. Given the amount of time we've been in government, it's actually extraordinary when you reflect on the amount of work this Commonwealth government has done to support the education of Australian citizens across ages and across disciplinary spectrums. I'm incredibly proud to be part of a government that maintains an eye on the prize.

As we've heard in the House today, people across the political spectrum want to ensure that young people have reason to be optimistic about their futures, but the crossbench and Labor alike are keeping a close eye on this, and we're keen to ensure that students at university are supported and that they don't find themselves in poverty simply for working towards the kinds of careers we really need in our community. We need to ensure that we understand this debate in its full context, and what we're referring to is an extraordinary program introduced by this government. I'm looking forward to the review, and I have no doubt that these support payments for those in placement are going to make a huge difference to their lives as they train in some of the most important professions out there. Thank you very much.

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