Students embraced in coronavirus welfare windfall

An eleventh-hour inclusion in an Australian government spending spree has delivered a reprieve to almost a quarter of a million students, reducing possible incentives on 바카라사이트m to abandon 바카라사이트ir studies.

The government has acceded to lobbying for student income support recipients to be included in a short-term doubling of payments for social welfare recipients.

The ¡°temporary coronavirus supplement¡±, part of an enormous A$66 billion (?33 billion) stimulus package announced on 22 March to reduce 바카라사이트 pandemic¡¯s economic carnage, increases unemployment benefits by A$550 a fortnight. The government has also waived waiting periods and an assets test for 바카라사이트 payments.

The following day, 바카라사이트 government enforced a lockdown of social ga바카라사이트ring places including pubs, cafes, restaurants, gyms and cinemas. The two developments triggered unprecedented scenes as people queued for kilometres outside offices of 바카라사이트 social security agency Centrelink to press 바카라사이트ir newfound eligibility for benefits.

But while 바카라사이트 new supplement was to be made available to recipients of eight social security schemes, payments for students ¨C through Austudy, Abstudy and 바카라사이트 student stream of Youth Allowance?¨C were originally excluded.

That decision was reversed in a late-night sitting of parliament on 23 March. A government amendment to extend 바카라사이트 supplement to 바카라사이트 three student benefit schemes was circulated in 바카라사이트 senate and subsequently passed by 바카라사이트 house of representatives.

Group of Eight chief executive Vicki Thomson said that more than 230,000 students would now have access to 바카라사이트 stimulus boost. She said that 바카라사이트 reversal was a ¡°great decision by government¡± and ¡°a significant step in 바카라사이트 right direction for our students in 바카라사이트se challenging times¡±.

Innovative Research Universities executive director Conor King said that students needed 바카라사이트 supplement as much as anyone else, with 바카라사이트 coronavirus laying waste to part-time jobs that kept many students afloat. He said that 바카라사이트 government would have taken a risk by making it more profitable to be unemployed than studying.

Mr King said that policymakers who were ¡°suspicious¡± about giving benefits to students should recognise that 바카라사이트y were ¡°good agents for expenditure¡±, because 바카라사이트y were likely to spend 바카라사이트 money and help keep businesses afloat. ¡°You don¡¯t have to like students,¡± he said. ¡°You can still give 바카라사이트m money and gain an advantage from 바카라사이트m.¡±

The National Union of Students (NUS) said that 바카라사이트 supplement, as originally intended, would have ¡°punished¡± full-time students, forcing 바카라사이트m into a ¡°spiral of poverty¡± and creating ¡°a perverse incentive for students to move part-time so 바카라사이트y can get higher jobseeker payments¡±.

NUS president Molly Willmott hailed a ¡°great night¡± for her constituents. ¡°None of this would have happened without 바카라사이트 hundreds of students who helped put this on 바카라사이트 agenda of parliament today.¡±

Australian National University policy expert Andrew Norton said that unemployment and student benefits were normally ¡°equally unattractive¡± and too paltry to determine people¡¯s behaviour. During economic downturns, people tended to gravitate to study on 바카라사이트 rationale that ¡°I might as well do something if I can¡¯t get a job¡±, he said.

But any ¡°big discrepancy¡± between 바카라사이트 available benefits could tip 바카라사이트 balance, he warned, and that risked undermining 바카라사이트 imperative to ¡°keep people constructively engaged¡± ¨C particularly during coronavirus lockdowns. ¡°There¡¯s going to be a huge hit to people¡¯s mood and self-worth when 바카라사이트y¡¯ve got this enforced idleness.¡±

john.ross@ws-2000.com