28 July, 2004
Ogilvy acknowledges student petition
United Future would lower the burden of student loan debt by addressing living and tuition expenses separately, its
education spokesman, Bernie Ogilvy, said today.
"We would support means-tested living allowances for those who need them, thereby addressing the overall student debt
burden," Mr Ogilvy said after student representatives presented a 35,000-signature petition on student living allowances
to Parliament's Education Select Committee.
Mr Ogilvy said there were a number of ways to address the cost burdens facing students, including bonding schemes in
certain disciplines where years served working in set fields can work off student debt.
"And in this year's Budget, United Future also successfully pushed the Government to lift parent income thresholds that
had remained unchanged since 1992
"And we continue to advocate assessing allowances based on students' income, not that of their parents, from the age of
20, rather than 25 as it is today," he said.
"United Future is committed to making education what it once was - a milestone, not a millstone," Mr Ogilvy said.
ENDS