Universities cheer as students get $550 virus relief

Nearly a quarter million students on Youth Allowance are eligible for the fortnightly $550 coronavirus supplement.

Families and Social Services Minister Anne Ruston. Picture Gary Ramage

Students on Youth Allowance were a last-minute inclusion in the federal government’s $66bn coronavirus package that passed the parliament on Monday night, making almost a quarter of a million of them eligible for financial relief as the crisis leaves casual workers jobless.

The amendment to the legislation was made after the government came under pressure from groups including students, universities and other political parties to extend the $550 a fortnight “coronavirus supplement”, which Families and Social Services Minister Anne Ruston said would now benefit about 235,000 students who receive Youth Allowance (student), Austudy and ABSTUDY (living allowance).

Senator Ruston said the change was made “in recognition that many full-time students also supplement their income through part-time and casual work which may not be available over coming months”.

“Under this change we will be able to provide more support to rural and regional students who are living away from home for their study as well as mature-age students who are also supporting a family,” she said.

National Union of Students national president Molly Willmott said the change followed energetic 11th-hour lobbying, after the NUS realised students would be left out of the provisions.

“No one had noticed or realised (the package) didn’t cover students because there are so many different types of payments,” Ms Willmott said.

“So we’re very happy with the result. Eighty per cent of all students on income support are on Youth Allowance and we’re all losing our jobs as well.”

Universities Australia chief executive Catriona Jackson welcomed the decision.

“Many Australians, including students, have lost their jobs recently due to COVID-19,” Ms Jackson said.

“Students rely on part-time work, particularly in hospitality and retail, to support their studies. These are exactly the sectors that have been hardest hit.

“Many students were weighing up whether they could continue to study and pay the rent, and will be hugely relieved by this announcement. Giving them some certainty today will encourage many to continue with their studies.”

The Innovative Research Universities group hailed it as “a good outcome for Australian students, universities and the wider economy”.

“Extending the coronavirus supplement to eligible students will remove the perverse incentive for young people to stop studying, during this particularly challenging time. Students have a lot to grapple with at the moment, so the extra support is essential,” IRU executive director Conor King said.

Regional Universities Network chair Helen Bartlett said many students studying in the regions needed the payment and would benefit from it. “The supplement will help them stay studying at university in regional Australia,” she said.

But the failure to include international students in the package concerned the sector. However, as reported exclusively in The Australian on Tuesday, the federal government is working on a plan for temporary migrants to receive income assistance if they lose their jobs, which may include international students.

The plan, being developed by Acting Immigration Minister Alan Tudge, would assist some temporary residents who faced significant financial hardship and were unable to return home.

The government already has widened work opportunities for international students in response to labour shortages that have already occurred or that are anticipated as crisis goes on.

International students with supermarket shelf-stacking jobs have been allowed to work beyond their limit of 40 hours a fortnight, and work restrictions are being eased for international students working in aged care and with potential to work as nurses.

Ms Jackson said Universities Australia would “continue to pursue the issue of support for international students”.

Council of International Students Australia national president Ahmed Ademoglu said students were “losing jobs, expected to pay rent, (and) experiencing social isolation”.

“Including them in the welfare package would show Australia takes care of its international students. Globally, it would be seen as a classy act and welcomed,” he said.