Ribbon
Member
- Joined
- Sep 15, 2003
- Messages
- 455
Just wanted to point out it is $237 per FORTNIGHT not week, as she said. Centrelink will give you very little (about $100 - $150 a fortnight) if you are earning $237 per week, as a student. If you earn this in a full time job you are entitled to a small income supplement and a health care card, nothing more.
Actually, depending on the reason you move out of home you may be entitled to YA regardless of your parents income. You do realise YA isn't enough to 'live off' and you have to work regardless. The max rate of youth allowence is only margionally above the poverty line. As I have said before, more study time translates into higher marks, which translates into quicker/more highly paid employment, which transalates into more taxes later on in life, and so I think it is fair that a student tries to work as little as possible, in order to study as much as possible.
As for the students that have to work to earn the same amount as someone recieves on Youth Allowence... not meaning to insult anyone, because I know some may have different circumstances, but they have stupidly put themselves in such a poor financial position. If they have to move to be within accessable travel of the uni, they are eligable for youth allowence. If they are not it is because thier parents house is close enough that they can travel (even if it is an hour each way... which many students do) and if they don't want to be in such a poor financial position they should stay with thier parents. If they cannot stay with thier parents because of family breakdown/abuse ect. they are entitled to YA. If thier parents earn to much, they can always do what another BOS member (can't remember her name at present but she has posted in this thread) has done and work for a year (defer uni) to get $16k and be considered independant. I do not feel sorry for students who have to work heaps because they are not entitled to YA... there are so many avenues, I beleive thier finanicial position is thier own stupid fault (though I do realise there will be exceptions)
First of all, students are not doing bugger all. The government recognises this by making a distinct category of benifits for students, with different rules and regualtions to the unemployed.
Yes you are in genuine need
With $350 centrelink per fortnight, and your rent being $200 per fortnight (sounds like you decided to get a nice place too, since you get somewhere decent for that in/around the city for UNSW/USyd, you must have a very nice joint, or one that's ripping you off), what do you mean it 'only leaves you withe $150 for everything else? I know families of 4 who survive with a bit under $150/fortnight for travel and food expenses - what the hell do you need that much money for that makes you have a 'genuine need' that everyone else doesn't have (most people would be happy for getting $150 per fortnight for doing bugger all, it's more than enough for meals etc). Let alone the fact that your parents are paying half your hecs (they can't be too hard off, most ppl I know with parents over the threshold aren't paying them a cent), and that you are still allowed to make another $237 per week ($474 a fortnight!!), without docking your centrelink.
and I'm sorry... did you say a family of 4 suriviving with under $150 per fornight? Food is, at a very, very bare, homebrand, minimum $30 per person, per week!. Thats $240. Thats already into -$$ before you factor in money for travel electricity, phone ect. How do they clothe thier children and pay for thier school books? How do they pay for one off nessecities such as insurance? If you really do know a family of 4 living for under $150 per forngith after rent, I really feel for them. Based on the av of 30% of thier income going to rent, they earn around $200 a fornight. Even in the cheapest area, $50 a week on rent gets you absolutely nothing. Maybe a one bedroom bedsit, but I doubt even that. If they are so poor because thier rent/morgatage is too high, its thier own fault they are in that position (once again, I accept there are exceptions). I find thier position hard to believe and I really do feel for them... $200 per week is about 10k per year. The poverty line for a family is $20k a year!!
$200 per fortnight is quite a standard amount of rent for a single room, and is actually towaards the lower end of the market. I am paying the same, and still live 30mins by car from the uni. Often if a student lives in a nice house, it isn't because they won't accept less, but because it is all they can get... particularly at the start of the year all share and rentals go quick. Also... I don't know where you got your info from but rentals in the inner sydney, I thought, were around $400 p/w for a 2 bedroom place. This means, sharing, it would be $200 a week which is a significant difference to $100! I know even in Canberra, to live in walking distance to the university, sharing, you are looking at $150 + per week.
In retrospect I think you should check your facts before calling others naive.
