“That ICPA (Aust) requests that the Federal Government through Services Australia recognises the adversity geographically isolated students face when living away from the family home to access a tertiary education and recognises them as independents for Youth Allowance purposes when they don't qualify for dependent Youth Allowance.”
We suggest that the Federal Government could do this by:
• Allowing geographically isolated students to automatically access Youth Allowance and Rent Assistance as independents so that students can focus on the task at hand and complete their studies without having to work several part-time jobs to earn enough to establish themselves as independent
• Increasing the amount that they can save for going to University as the current limits are discouraging students from saving
• Allowing eligibility for Assistance for Isolated Children and Boarding Away from Home Allowance (BAHA) to carry over into Tertiary Studies if commenced immediately following school - or eligibility for these payments automatically qualifies students for Youth Allowance and Rent Assistance. Our students have already endured six years boarding away from home. They are expected to live independently to attend these educational institutions – and this should be recognised.
