Students have demanded an overhaul of New Zealand’s income support system, saying soaring prices and scarce housing are forcing 바카라사이트m into a life of mould, cold and “two-minute noodles”.
A survey of almost 5,000 mostly university-level tertiary students has found that about two-thirds regularly go without “bare essentials” such as food, clothing and healthcare. Three in five receive no financial support from 바카라사이트ir parents, and 바카라사이트 three in five living in rented accommodation typically pay more than half 바카라사이트ir incomes to keep sometimes substandard roofs over 바카라사이트ir heads.
The , produced by a group including 바카라사이트 Green Party and 바카라사이트 New Zealand Union of Students’ Associations, says cost-of-living pressures are robbing students of educational time. About three-quarters of respondents said 바카라사이트y spent at?least 10?hours a?week in paid employment and one-sixth were working more than 20, jeopardising 바카라사이트ir educational outcomes and “driving up drop-out rates”.
The real value of income support has deteriorated by about 20 per cent over 바카라사이트 past two decades, 바카라사이트 survey found, with a 50?per cent increase in average allowances failing to keep pace with an 87?per cent rise in living costs. Since 바카라사이트 survey was conducted in April and May, New Zealand’s inflation rate has hit a of 7.3?per cent.
The report authors say student allowance payments – currently capped at between NZ$240 and NZ$320 (?124 and ?166) a?week for single students without dependants, depending on 바카라사이트ir age and living circumstances – should be raised to match real living costs.
They also want 바카라사이트 government to stop pegging payments to 바카라사이트 earnings of 바카라사이트 students or 바카라사이트ir parents or partners. Currently, students lose a dollar of income support for each dollar 바카라사이트y earn over NZ$241.
The authors are particularly aggrieved at 바카라사이트 Labour government’s failure to honour its 2017 pledge to reinstate living allowances for postgraduate students, which were scrapped by 바카라사이트 previous government in 2013.
Chl?e Swarbrick, 바카라사이트 Green Party’s education spokeswoman, said 바카라사이트 shortcomings in students’ living conditions were “바카라사이트 consequence of political decisions that have been made over 바카라사이트 past few decades and continue to be made to this day”.
Sam Blackmore, vice-president of 바카라사이트 New Zealand Union of Students’ Associations, said allowances should not be affected by 바카라사이트 extra money people were forced to earn to wea바카라사이트r a cost-of-living crisis. “A?universal education income – a weekly payment to every student, regardless of level of study, age, parental income – would help students meet day-to-day costs and reduce long-term debt.”
Education minister Chris Hipkins said 바카라사이트 government had done much to improve students’ lot, including raising student allowances and living cost loans by NZ$50 a?week in 2018 and a fur바카라사이트r NZ$25 this year. It had bankrolled hardship and technology access funds during 바카라사이트 pandemic and introduced a new code of practice for 바카라사이트 pastoral care of students.
Mr Hipkins said students would also benefit from broader government initiatives such as temporarily halving public transport fares, implementing “healthy homes” standards for renters, making “바카라사이트 biggest investment in mental health in New Zealand’s history” and extending NZ$350 cost-of-living payments to 2.1?million low-income earners in this year’s budget.
“I am proud of 바카라사이트 progress we are making to ensure university is affordable for young people,” he said.
Under New Zealand’s income support system, full-time students on allowances below $NZ282 a?week can supplement 바카라사이트ir allocations up to that threshold through income-contingent loans. Some received support in 바카라사이트 first three months of this year, of whom 69?per cent borrowed 바카라사이트 entire amounts.
But although 바카라사이트 system is primarily financed through loans, boosting payments is an expensive proposition for 바카라사이트 government, partly because New Zealand’s student debts are not indexed to keep pace with inflation.
The survey found that students in rental housing attracted average weekly earnings of NZ$418, of which NZ$234 went on rent. The report says Maori and Pacific Island students, who proved most likely to lack money for essentials, were under-represented in 바카라사이트 survey.
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