Friday 6th,  November 2009

Member for Benalla, Bill Sykes, is inviting young people intending to pursue their first year in tertiary education in 2010 to apply for the Nationals Scholarship.

Dr Sykes said The Nationals recognise the high costs to country young people who have to leave home to further their education.

This high cost has been highlighted by numerous reports into tertiary education opportunities for country students, in particular;

1.       2007 all-party Victorian Parliamentary Education and Training Committee Inquiry into Geographical Differences in the rate in which Victorian Students Participate in Higher Education;

2.       Federal Senate Standing Committee on Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport 2009 inquiry into the Social Security and Other Legislation Amendment (Income Support for Students) Bill;

3.       A 2009 report on The State of Australia’s Young People by the Office of Social Policy Research Centre, University of New South Wales Office for Youth, DEEWR;

4.       A 2009 Liberal/Greens initiated Senate Inquiry into Rural and Regional Access to Secondary and Tertiary Education Opportunities; and

5.       A 2009 report commissioned by Local Learning and Employment Networks (LLENs) titled Deferring a University Offer in Regional Victoria.

“The reports show that economic barriers are the biggest hurdle for country students attaining higher education,” Dr Sykes said.

“Accessing further education is now even harder than ever for country students due to the Federal Labor Government’s proposed Youth Allowance changes which require students to work 30 hours a week for up to two years to qualify for independent Youth Allowance,” Dr Sykes said.

“Without financial assistance many country students cannot afford the high cost of living away from home, which is around $20,000 a year.

Dr Sykes said that scholarships, such as the Nationals Scholarship for Young Leaders, are more than ever an important financial tool to assist students in their quest for further education.

The Nationals Scholarship for Young Leaders is open to students aged 16-25 who are attending their first year of tertiary study and awards a share in $5,000 for one or more successful applicants.

Dr Sykes said in the past four years, three young people from the Benalla Electorate had been awarded Nationals Scholarships.

Past winners are: 2009 - Trent Milligan (Benalla) – RMIT University. 2008 - Alex Robb (Benalla) – Monash University. 2006 - Brendan Lawley (Benalla) – Melbourne University

“I encourage all country students currently in Year 12 who are undertaking tertiary study in 2010 to consider applying for the Nationals Scholarship.

“The Nationals Scholarship is a positive contribution to helping country students overcome the economic barriers that prevent country students from attaining a tertiary qualification.