1.1
The Australian Greens oppose the Social Services Legislation Amendment
(Better Targeting Student Payments) Bill 2017 (the Bill), which contains a
package of measures from the 2017–18 Budget. The measures will:
-
remove eligibility to the Relocation Scholarship for students
whose parental home or usual place of residence is outside Australia or who
study part of their course overseas;
-
implement new rate structures for the Education Entry Payment and
the Pension Education Supplement; and
-
stop the payment of the Pension Education Supplement during
semester breaks and holidays.
1.2
While the Government announced in the 2017–18 Budget that it would no
longer pursue abolishing the Education Entry Payment and the Pension Education
Supplement, the measures in this Bill will still significantly impact income
support recipients who are studying and impede their capacity to continue their
studies.
1.3
The Australian Greens opposed the abolishment of the Education Entry
Payment and the Pension Education Supplement, and while we welcome the
Government's decision to abandon the abolishment of these payments, we oppose
the creation of new rate structures for both payments.
Relocation Scholarship
1.4
Schedule 1 of the Bill will restrict the circumstances in which a
student will be eligible for the Relocation Scholarship to when they are
relocating within Australia and studying in Australia.
1.5
This measure is only estimated to save $1.9 million over the forward
estimates.[1]
As Australian Council of Social Service (ACOSS) said in its submission:
[S]ocial security payments should be paid on the basis of
financial need and not guided by arbitrary conditions. This cut does not stand
up to that test.[2]
1.6
As the National Social Security Rights Network (NSSRN) said in its
submission:
Relocation scholarships should be generally available to all
low income students who move away from home to study, regardless of the
location of the family home or where the student chooses to study. This is
consistent with the original intention of the payment and provides support on
an equitable basis. The scholarship should respond to the need for support with
the costs of moving away from home without additional restrictions. Among other
things, this means that students from low income backgrounds who have the
opportunity to undertake study overseas have this additional support.[3]
1.7
The Australian Greens do not support this further restriction on the
Relocation Scholarship and are of the view it should be available to low income
students who are required to relocate for post-secondary study.
Education Entry Payment and Pensioner Education Supplement
1.8
Schedules 2 and 3 of the Bill create new rate structures for the
Education Entry Payment and Pensioner Education Supplement respectively, with
these payments being reduced according to the study load of the student. In
addition, the Pensioner Education Supplement will no longer be paid during
semester breaks and holidays.
1.9
The new rate structures provide four payment tiers for each payment.
Currently, there is a flat rate for the Education Entry Payment ($208 once a
year) and two payment rates for the Pension Education Supplement ($62.40 or
$31.20 a fortnight depending on the recipient's primary income support payment
and their study load).
1.10
For the Education Entry Payment, the top rate will remain at $208 a year
and this would be for those undertaking a study load of 76% to 100% of a
full-time study load. The second rate would be $156 a year for those
undertaking a study load of 51% to 75%, followed by $104 a year for those
undertaking a study load of 26% to 50% and lastly $52 a year for those
undertaking a study load of 25%.
1.11
As the NSSRN said in its submission:
[A]t $208 per year this payment is unlikely to meet all the
additional costs of study for many students, regardless of study load. Put
another way, proposing a tiered rate structure for a payment based on study
load might make some sense if many people were being over-compensated. It seems
unlikely that this is widespread in the case of a payment of little more than
$200 a year.[4]
1.12
This is particularly the case when this payment is designed to assist
with the upfront costs of studying, which are likely to be much higher than
$200 a year.
1.13
ACOSS said in its submission that '[a]s a result, 56,100 people
receiving the Education Entry Payment would have their payment cut. Many of
these people would be Disability Support Pension, Parenting Payment Single and
Carer Payment recipients.'[5]
1.14
For the Pensioner Education Supplement, the top rate will remain at
$62.40 per fortnight, followed by $46.80 per fortnight, $31.20 per fortnight
and lastly $15.60 per fortnight. The study load percentages for each tier of
the payment are the same as the Education Entry Payment above.
1.15
ACOSS said in its submission that:
32,300 people will lose fortnightly income because they study
part-time and will be paid at a lower rate.
The proposed tiers would see someone with a 50% study load
who is currently paid the full rate of PES have their fortnightly payment cut
in half to $31.20. Others will see a drop of $15.60 per fortnight.[6]
1.16
As the NSSRN said in its submission:
The proposed changes also seem to us not to grapple
adequately with other aspects of the current rate structure. The current rate
structure is, in part, based on study load. However, some part-time students
have access to the higher rate, including students receiving the Disability
Support Pension. This rate structure, in effect, also provides a higher level
of support to students with a disability who often have higher costs associated
with study, such as higher mobility costs.[7]
1.17
The Government argues that the costs associated with studying are
generally less for part-time students and so the rates of these payments should
reflect this.[8]
Unfortunately, this argument does not account for the fixed costs that are
unchanged by a student's study load, such as purchasing a desk, computer or
stationary, or paying for internet connections and usage.[9]
1.18
The Government also argues that the Pensioner Education Supplement only
needs to be paid 'when a recipient is actually engaged in study. This is the
time when study costs are incurred.'[10]
1.19
As the National Council of Single Mothers and their Children said in its
submission:
Cutting payments in breaks is another irrational proposition
as the student workload generally increases during 'dedicated breaks' in an
academic calendar thus reducing the time in which students can access
alternative paid employment. These breaks are consciously structured to allow
for time in which major assignments are written, meetings with tutors scheduled
and exam preparation and revision undertaken.[11]
1.20
Consequently, during the mid-semester breaks—and even in some cases
during the holiday periods—students typically continue to incur the associated
costs of education i.e. the cost of internet access.[12]
1.21
There is also uncertainty as to whether the Pensioner Education
Supplement will continue to be paid to an income support recipient if they
undertake study during breaks.[13]
1.22
As People with Disability Australia said in its submission:
Plans to cut these payments are counter to the Government's
focus on increasing employment opportunities through further education. Whilst
expectations for pensioners to undertake education increase, the very means of
supporting access to education for pensioners are being cut.[14]
1.23
In this regard, ACOSS said:
These education payments provide much needed assistance that
improves people's prospects. It is counterintuitive to develop an Investment
Approach policy to improve support to people seeking to improve their
employment prospects, and at the same time cut assistance that actually helps
people on low incomes get meaningful and sustainable employment.[15]
1.24
These measures are also counter to the Government's supposed aim of simplifying
the income support system, creating greater administrative and compliance
burdens for students and the Department of Human Services.[16]
1.25
For the reasons outlined above, the Australian Greens do not support the
introduction of new rate structures for the Education Entry Payment or the
Pensioner Education Supplement, nor do we support the restriction on when the
Pensioner Education Supplement is paid.
Conclusion
1.26
This Bill cannot be supported by the Australian Greens. It will place
added financial pressure on income support recipients who are studying and
render it more difficult for them to continue their studies and find work in
the future.
Recommendation 1
The Australian Greens recommend that the Senate not pass the
Social Services Legislation Amendment (Better Targeting Students Payments) Bill
2017.
Senator Rachel Siewert
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