Higher Education Reform
The Coalition has pushed consideration of proposed university reforms, including a 20% cut in funding, out beyond the election, until 1 January 2018, but it has ruled out full fee deregulation. It has released an options paper, to guide a consultation process, canvassing a range of alternative fee measures. That’s it.
Redesigning VET FEE-HELP
The Coalition has proposed a set of tougher measures to fix the VET FEE-HELP blow-out in a discussion paper released on 29 April. The present minister for vocational education and skills senator Scott Ryan said the paper will pave the way for a full redesign of the scheme.
PaTH
Announced in the 2016 Budget, to come into effect from 1 April 2017, Youth Jobs PaTH provides young Australians with intensive pre-employment skills training followed by an internship placement.
Up to 30,000 job seekers each year will gain a four to twelve week placement in an industry of their choosing. Job seekers will receive $200 per fortnight on top of their regular income support payment while participating in the internship.
Employers who hire an eligible young job seeker in an ongoing job will receive an accelerated wage subsidy of up to $10,000, paid over six months.
Improving access for regional and remote students
In an address to the National Press Club on Wednesday 22 June 2016, the leader of the National Party, Barnaby Joyce, announced that the government would spend $152 to improve access to educational opportunities for regional students.
The Coalition will spend $83 million to reduce the period of time from 18 months to 14 months that regional and remote students need to be employed in order to qualify for independent (self-supporting) status for Youth Allowance and ABSTUDY.
In addition the Coalition Government would also provide $24 million for 1,200 new Rural and Regional Enterprise scholarships for undergraduate, postgraduate and vocational education students to undertake STEM studies. The scholarships will be valued at up to $20,000 each.
$150m for University of Tasmania
Malcolm Turnbull announced on Friday 24 June 2016, that government would provide an additional $150m in funding to help the University of Tasmania relocate in Launceston campus to Inveresk as well as boost the provision of tertiary education in north-west Tasmania. This matches the ALPs April promise of $150m for the university relocation.
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