“That ICPA Qld lobbies the relevant bodies to ensure that all education allowances for geographically isolated students automatically rise at a minimum of the full CPI increases.”
In the last few years, all communities within Australia have been hit by a cost of living crisis. All facets of our lives have been affected - groceries, rates, telecommunications, insurance, transport, and education costs have all increased. Families living in rural, regional and remote communities are the most affected, with increased freight costs added to most of our consumables, and a reduction in services available locally. This means that for many families, budgets are getting tight, even before the current fuel crisis. Parents of isolated students are finding it increasingly difficult to find the money needed to give their children the education that they deserve.
Families in rural and regional communities with children in secondary schooling are doubly disadvantaged due to a lack of access to local school that does Years P-12, a high school that does Years 7-12 or schools with enough of a capacity to deliver sufficient subjects to give children equitable access to an education. Many of these families are forced to choose either a second home in a bigger town or boarding school; both of which are costly enterprises.
Making sure that available educational allowances are in line with the rising costs is important to allow the families of our geographically isolated kids financial assistance to access equitable education.
