With the cost of rent, fuel and food skyrocketing (looking at you, tomatoes), the Government’s plans to increase Student Allowance and Loan payments have been cautiously welcomed by cash-strapped students.
From April 1, Student Allowance rates will rise by $25/week, and people receiving Student Loan living costs can also apply to increase their student loan payments by the same amount. This means that under both schemes, the maximum amount weekly you can get will be $281.96. While the rise will be automatically applied for the Student Allowance, you need to notify StudyLink if you want more cash on your Student Loan living costs. They say it’s “because it’s a loan that you’ll have to pay back” (as opposed to a loan you don’t pay back?).
Critic Te Arohi took to the streets to ask students what they thought of the changes. Lucy said that “the student loan is not affordable to live off without some supplementation from somewhere else… so I guess it alleviates some pressure.” Beth, too, was cautiously optimistic about the changes: “Even though $25 isn’t that much it would at least make things a bit easier.”
Of course, with an extra $25 in students’ pockets every week, the question remains: what are we going to spend it on? The responses we got were varied - who are we kidding, they mostly revolved around “alcohol,” “boxes” and “BYOs at Maharajas”. Jessie, on the other hand, was fizzed at the prospect of being able to buy “more spinach!” Critic also enjoys watching money shrivel up to nothing in seconds, although we admit spinach is still nutritionally far superior to buying an NFT.
One student was reminded of the time when her and some friends went around town at night, modifying StudyLink posters to read: “StudyLinks you to debt”. With that in mind, Critic Te Arohi advises you to say your daily prayers to our all-powerful financial overlords and graciously partake in their generosity. At least until our landlords all mysteriously decide to hike rents by $25/week.