The Alliance is pushing ahead to restore the unemployment benefit for students.

“I give my pledge to students that the Alliance will fight for the Emergency Unemployment Benefit for students to be restored,” says Liz Gordon, Alliance Education Spokesperson

"The Greens Social Security Bill voted down last night in parliament would not have restored the unemployment benefit for students.

"It was clear that this bill would have been eventually vetoed by Labour.

Liz Gordon says that there does not need to be a legislative change in order to restore this benefit to students on summer holidays. When National took this benefit off students they didn’t go through Parliament.

“Restoring the EUB for students is the absolute top priority for the Alliance in tertiary education.

"The EUB was removed by the previous National government without reason.

"It effectively meant that the unemployment benefit for young people was means tested on parental income for those who study up to the age of 25.

"Without any backstop for students over the holidays if they cannot get a job, students have been forced to take any work they can.

"This keeps wages low and places huge pressures on students to find jobs in the run up to exam time.

We are working within government to come to an agreement on a fair system for unemployed students over the holidays and hope to come to an agreement on this issue soon," Dr Liz Gordon said.

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