TRAVEL BENEFITS SHOULD BE INDEXED: HALL

The Nationals have called for travel allowances for school children to be indexed in the same fashion as fees, fines and charges, to ensure they do not drop in real terms.

The Nationals spokesman for Education, Peter Hall says it is wrong of the Bracks Government to freeze the value of travel benefits when it increases the cost of fees and fines on a yearly basis.

"I have received correspondence from the Minister for Education that confirms the government has no intention of indexing the conveyance allowance, to the disadvantage of rural communities.

"This means the conveyance allowance, paid to students who have no bus services and who live more than five kilometres from the most appropriate school, will continue being severely eroded by increases in prices.

Speaking in Parliament, Mr Hall said the benefits should be indexed to ensure they increased in line with annual inflation.

"Every year on July the first, all Victorian fines, fees and charges collected by the government are indexed in line with the consumer price index.

"This has been the case ever since the Bracks Government passed legislation to increase the amount it can charge for fines, fees and charges each year. Naturally this has become a nice little revenue earner for the government," Mr Hall said.

"If the Bracks Government is going to play that game, benefits and allowances paid out by the government should also be indexed.

"One allowance that is not indexed is the conveyance allowance which is paid to some 41,000 students across the state to assist them travel to school. These are generally students who have no bus services and who live more than five kilometres from the most appropriate school."

Mr Hall said during a 2002 review of school bus services the government introduced an allowance based on the distance travelled to school.

"Since the allowance came into effect in 2003, its value has been severely eroded, especially with the increase in petrol prices. To save another major review and in the spirit of fairness the allowance needs to be indexed and the indexation backdated to 2003."

"I am extremely disappointed that the Minister for Education Services has stated that the government has no intention whatsoever of indexing the allowance. It is yet another example of this government ignoring the needs of country people."

Media contact: Peter Hall (03) 5174 7066 or 0427 747 066