Ex-Critic editor puts up pointless, doomed bill
In 2012, the government changed regulations to prevent postgraduate students from claiming the student allowance. The change came into effect in January this year, and Otago’s postgraduate enrolment rate has dropped by 8.5%.
Tertiary Education Minister Steven Joyce claims that an improving economic situation is encouraging students into the job market, but Walker claims that the figure “is not in line with trends we’ve been seeing.” She says postgraduates have been priced out of study, especially those who had begun study last year and did not expect the changes to come into effect until later in the year. Walker argues that urgent action is needed to reinstate the allowances, and has drafted the Education (Student Allowances Availability) Amendment Bill, a Private Member’s Bill which she hopes will be drawn in a ballot to be held on 16 May.
Asked if the bill had any hope of passing its first reading, Walker said “I don’t want to pre-judge,” but admitted that getting support from the same government that cut the allowance just last year was unlikely. Although John Banks was ruled out as a supporter of the bill, Walker thought that the Maori Party might be supportive because Maori students have also been affected by the allowance cut.
Walker says she wants to use her bill as a political tool to force Parliament to debate the issue. Despite the fact that Walker has already questioned the government on the scheme to no avail, she says the bill is worthwhile because “it means the government actually has to vote against it.”