Media Release

13 October 2008

Labour Borrows Another Policy – NZ First

Rt Hon Winston Peters has welcomed the Labour Party’s move to adopt New Zealand First’s longstanding policy of a universal student allowance.

Labour today announced a three-year timetable to reinstate a universal living allowance for students under 24.

Mr Peters says the policy is long overdue and should be accepted by all political parties so that investment in education does not become a political football.

“Paying a student allowance is an investment for the future. Our future as a country is being jeopardised by massive student debt.

“Young men and women are graduating from our tertiary institutions with student loans that they cannot afford to repay and many head overseas.

“The next step is to introduce a scheme that enables students to repay loans by working in areas of high need, such as medicine, for a specified time.

“This system was used successfully in the past and gave great benefits to the students and their employers,” said Mr Peters.

ENDS

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