Natasha Stott Despoja (SA, Australian Democrats) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

That the Senate—

(a)

notes that:

(i)

the final report of Australian University Student Finances 2006, published by Universities Australia, includes the following indicators:

(a)

12.8 per cent of students regularly go without food or other necessities due to lack of funds,

(b)

14.5 per cent of full-time undergraduate students who are also working during semester are working more than 20 hours per week,

(c)

40.2 per cent of full-time undergraduate students believe work is having a significant adverse effect on their studies, and

(d)

16.4 per cent of full-time postgraduate coursework students have their applications for income support rejected, and

(ii)

the Government has yet to respond to the Employment, Workplace Relations and Education References Committee report, Student income support, tabled on 23 June 2005;

(b)

acknowledges that:

(i)

university graduates are vital for Australia’s competitiveness, and

(ii)

significant financial stress is not conducive to a good education outcome;

(c)

welcomes the student income support measures contained in the 2007-08 Budget; and

(d)

urges the Government to consider and respond to both the Senate committee report and the recommendations for alleviating student financial stress put forward by Universities Australia, formerly the Australian Vice-Chancellors’ Committee, on 15 March 2007.

Question put.