JustAct is once again getting behind Anti Poverty Week; it aims to:

• Strengthen public understanding of the causes and consequences of poverty and hardship around the world and in Australia
• Encourages research, discussion and action to address these problems, including action by individuals, communities, organisations and governments.

Everyone who is interested in helping to reduce poverty and hardship here or overseas is encouraged to organise their own activities during the Anti-Poverty Week or join in some being organised by other people. Do you want to join in Anti-Poverty Week 2010? STEP ONE: Click here to send Anti-Poverty Week your contact details and/or to tell them what you are thinking of doing. STEP TWO: If you decide to organise an activity, click here to give Anti-Poverty Week all the details for the Calendar of Activities.

TAFE fee system deters students

Natalie Craig

Source: The Age 2 May 2010

Information from 100 submissions to an Ernst and Young review of the new TAFE fee system suggests that the increase in fees, and changes to fee structures, are having an adverse impact on choices for potential students, and on enrolments. Some TAFEs report falls of around 50% in enrolments, there have been some staff cuts and an increase in the use of casual staff. Individuals report being unable to take up course places and the removal of the $55 concession fee has caused problems.

Where people acquired qualifications in the 1970s in disciplines of little use now, they are being charged full fees as they already hold a lower level qualification.

The Government says the new system is designed to increase competition between public and private providers and to encourage the 1.6 million Victorians who have no training outside high school to ‘…move back into education’.

To read the complete article go here.

Prepared – April 23, 2010

This year there will be important changes to Youth Allowance and other student payments. Some of these changes occurred in early April 2010, the remainder will be put in place from July 2010.

The age of independence
The Justice and International Mission Unit (and JustAct) asked that, ‘the age of independence for Youth Allowance recipients should be reduced from 25 to 18 so that students are not assessed on the basis of their parents’ income and assets.’ The age of independence was 25 years. The age of independence will now reduce from 25 to 22 years, meaning more students will be eligible for Youth Allowance. This will be phased in, so that the age of independence will reduce to 24 years from 1 April 2010, 23 years from 1 January 2011 and 22 years from 1 January 2012. These are good steps forward.

Youth Allowance threshold
The Justice and International Mission Unit (and JustAct) asked that ‘the Youth Allowance threshold of earned income before penalty should be raised, to match CPI, from $6000 to at least $8000.’ The threshold has been changed to $10,400 per year (in other words the personal income threshold will rise from $236 to $400 per fortnight so that students receiving support will be able earn up to $400 per fortnight without having their payments reduced). This is a great step forward.

Student scholarships
The Justice and International Mission Unit (and JustAct) asked that, ‘scholarships providing financial support should not be included as assessable income when evaluating eligibility for income support.’ Previously only Government scholarships were classed as tax exempt, and were not included in assessable income. Privately funded scholarships were included as assessable income. Commencing 1 April 2010, the treatment of equity and merit-based scholarships under the social security means tests will be aligned with that of the Commonwealth Scholarships.  This means that equity and merit-based scholarships will be exempted from being treated as assessable income for means testing under the Social Security Act 1991, up to the equivalent combined value of the Commonwealth Education Costs Scholarship and the Commonwealth Accommodation Scholarship, valued at $6762 in 2010. This is a good step forward.

To find out about Youth Allowance changes go to information from the National Union of Students  and the Commonwealth Government. Also note that from 1 April 2010, Equity and Merit-based scholarships have been made exempt from means testing. Full report can be found here.

April 2010 update

To find out about Youth Allowance changes go to information from the National Union of Students  and the Commonwealth Government. Also note that from 1 April 2010, Equity and Merit-based scholarships have been made exempt from means testing. Full report can be found here.

Background information

JustAct has previously informed supporters that there have been positive changes in the area of much needed income support for those tertiary students suffering disadvantage.

Earlier this year the outlook was grim. The lowering the age of independence progressively for student income support was blocked by the Senate; as was the increases to the personal income test free area for students. The changes to assessable income in the area of privately funded equity or merit based scholarships looked like also meeting the same fate.  All of these measures were part of the previously rejected Social Security and Other Legislation Amendment (Income Support for Students) Bill. There was to be no effective change to Youth Allowance/Austudy, or privately funded scholarships of any nature. Thankfully things have changed – full report can be found here.

If you need further independent advice on Commonwealth income support go to the National Welfare Rights Network website and find out contact details for help in your part of Australia.

The State Government’s changes to the TAFE system will see fees rise for thousands of Victorian students. The TAFE4All campaign is fighting to overturn these changes – and this campaign needs your support.

UNITE has recently won over $100,000 in payouts for 7-Eleven workers in Melbourne and Sydney. For more details see links below.

Contact the UNITE office on 03 9328 1555.

More information here (and here).

UNITE’s campaign against convenience store giant 7-Eleven is starting to bring results. After a series of protests and media publicity, UNITE has forced the Fair Work Ombudsman to take action against 7-Eleven franchisees that have been underpaying international students.

Five 7-Eleven stores in Melbourne’s CBD will reimburse 88 workers $112,000. A sixth 7-Eleven store has been instructed to credit almost 1000 hours of annual leave back to 12 workers who were not accruing the entitlement but should have been.

The Fair Work Ombudsman said that “The random audits followed public allegations by a retail union that young employees were being exploited and that some employers were forging employment records.”

The underpayments found at each store were $32,134 for 18 workers, $27,053 for 25 workers, $24,987 for 25 workers, $23,671 for 16 workers and $3,615 for four workers. The major problem was the underpayment of penalty rates for weekend and night shift workers.

The Melbourne outcome follows the recent recovery of $50,000 for 80 workers at 15 7-Eleven stores in Sydney’s CBD. UNITE is still pursuing back pay for several groups of workers employed by 7-Eleven in Geelong.

While this result is very good and shows that international students do not have to put up with super-exploitation, it is just the tip of the iceberg. UNITE estimates that hundreds, if not thousands, more 7-Eleven workers have been ripped off. The next step is to organise 7-Eleven stores to ensure that underpayment is stamped out.

If you work in fast food or retail join UNITE today. We are the only union that fights for young workers and international students rights. Call 93281555.

See also

April 2010 update

To find out about Youth Allowance changes go to information from the National Union of Students  and the Commonwealth Government. Also note that from 1 April 2010, Equity and Merit-based scholarships have been made exempt from means testing. Full report can be found here.

Student income support update

JustAct has campaigned about this issue. Here is an update.

Clay Lucas, July 9, 2009
Melbourne must be more welcoming to international students by offering them concession fares on public transport, Lord Mayor Robert Doyle says.

Source and more