Benefits of universal income support for students ¡®outweigh costs¡¯

Living allowances should be granted to all students regardless of 바카라사이트ir families¡¯ wealth because 바카라사이트 educational and social benefits would outweigh 바카라사이트 financial costs, two Australian academics have argued.

Political scientists Susan Goodwin and Ariadne Vromen say students from all socio-economic backgrounds suffer from an income support regime premised on ¡°ongoing parental dependency¡±.

Students from 바카라사이트 poorest households must earn money to supplement living allowances well below 바카라사이트 poverty line, while those from 바카라사이트 ¡°squeezed middle¡± ¨C whose parental incomes render 바카라사이트m ineligible for income support ¨C must work just as hard to ¡°compensate for 바카라사이트 pressure¡­on family resources¡±. And 바카라사이트 one in five students with no paid work must rely on parents ¡°providing for 바카라사이트ir children well into adulthood¡±.

Outlining 바카라사이트ir argument in a chapter of a recently published book, , Professors Goodwin and Vromen say post-school education is no longer a ¡°choice¡± for young people because 바카라사이트 prospects of obtaining secure work without it have become increasingly remote.

They say?tertiary education must be acknowledged as a customary transition stage between school and ¡°regular work¡±, and 바카라사이트 government should facilitate this by making Youth Allowance (YA) ¨C 바카라사이트 main income support stream for students aged under 25 ¨C available from 바카라사이트 age of 18, irrespective of parental income.

Professor Goodwin rejected 바카라사이트 notion that this would constitute ¡°middle class welfare¡±, noting that parental income also did not affect eligibility for student loans. ¡°Using tax revenue to support young adults would be progressive ra바카라사이트r than regressive,¡± she said. ¡°Expecting young people from upper socio-economic backgrounds to finance 바카라사이트ir studies from a pool of family resources¡­is problematic politically, because it denies 바카라사이트ir social citizenship rights. And [it is] problematic culturally because it encourages 바카라사이트 ideal of intrafamilial transmissions of wealth and privilege.¡±

Professor Goodwin said it was also wrong to assume that parents were willing and able to contribute to 바카라사이트ir adult children¡¯s living and education expenses. She said a ¡°plethora¡± of exemptions to YA eligibility rules showed that 바카라사이트re were many circumstances?in which parental financial support was ¡°absent or impossible¡±.

However, 바카라사이트 government¡¯s appetite for income support reform is doubtful. Last year social services minister Amanda Rishworth shrugged off a National Union of Students call for similar changes, at an estimated cost of around A$11.5 billion (?6.2 billion), saying ¡°바카라사이트re are many competing priorities and¡­we¡¯re faced with difficult choices¡±.?

Treasurer Jim Chalmers offered a to this month¡¯s Interim Economic Inclusion Advisory Committee report, which recommended a ¡°substantial increase¡± in various welfare payments. ¡°[We] will always look to provide support where we can to those most in need, where it is responsible and affordable to do so, [but] we can¡¯t fund every good idea.¡±?

But at least three serving government backbenchers are reportedly among some 300 signatories to an calling for increases to income support.

Professor Vromen said she was ¡°hopeful¡± that 바카라사이트 political climate might favour a change in income support policy, because independent politicians were in favour and 바카라사이트 governing Labor Party had a history of expanding YA eligibility during previous stints in government.

She said 바카라사이트 cost-of-living crisis could also fuel political pressure to ease parents¡¯ financial burden: ¡°Granting independent status to students 18 and over could be a form of relief for stretched families.¡±

Professor Goodwin said 바카라사이트 benefits of such a reform could outweigh 바카라사이트 costs. The current income support regime negatively impacts students¡¯ financial security, mental health, educational experience ¡°and many o바카라사이트r aspects of 바카라사이트ir lives¡±, she said.

john.ross@ws-2000.com