To: John Vandenberg and friends on several mail lists. Many thanks, John, for sending me the executive summary of the article by Lucy Sullivan entitled, "Tax Injustice: Keeping the family cap-in-hand," which can be found at <www.cis.org.au> in the Issues Analysis section. I found Ms. Sullivan's analysis very compelling and was pleased to see the specific recommendation at the end, where she wrote: >> "A tax rebate (or payment) of $3,000 to $5,000 per dependent child or student, matching child benefits for the unemployed, is recommended, to replace all current family benefits, including childcare subsidies and Austudy." << Ms. Sullivan may have reached too far when she included Austudy. A while back I received a related dialogue concerning the educational side of the tax equation in Australia which you will find below. Both articles are an exercise in measuring-well-being and finding out that we have too little well-being, but not enough political fortitude to do anything about it. The problem is not unique to Australia, Thomas Paine and William Pitt proposed adequate family allowances as an alternative to the Speenhamland System in 1795. Two hundred years later, none of the English speaking people have seen fit to preserve and maintain the family allowances (relative to average earned income) which were established by all industrial nations, except the UK and US, after World War II. Thanks again for the insight into Australian politics. Kind regards, Wesburt XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX Begin dialogue XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX Subj: [auspolitics] Educational Allowances Date: 99-11-02 00:52:42 EST From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] (Rhianwen) + Téa-Louise Smith + Rhianwen Reply-to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] From: =?iso-8859-1?q?Rhianwen?= <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> There are quite a few differences in the educational assistance schemes given to students, Austudy and Abstudy, and I believe it to be unfair. Bear in mind that these additional benefits are in addition to the living allowance granted to students. ABSTUDY (income tests sometimes apply) AUSTUDY (income tests, assets tests, and actual means tests always apply) ABSTUDY School fees allowance (non-taxable) Under 16 * $150 a year * $75 a year if turning 16 before June 30 * $4,204 if homeless or orphaned AUSTUDY School fees allowance Scheme does not exist! * if homeless or orphaned, _may_ get rent assistance. ABSTUDY School term allowance Under 16 * $520 a year * Turning 16 during year, entitlement up to 16th birthday AUSTUDY School Term Allowance Scheme does not exist! ABSTUDY School/Hostel Directed Boarding allowance Under 13 * $988 a term * 13-15 $426 AUSTUDY School/Hostel Directed Boarding Allowance Scheme does not exist! ABSTUDY Fares allowance (no restrictions, includes accommodation and meals) Actual costs paid to cover- * Secondary students eligible for away from home assistance * Full time tertiary students, including Masters and Doctorates * Part time tertiary students required to attend an activity away from base. Type of travel covered- Secondary students * to and from school at the beginning and end of term(unlimited) * travel in connection with successful placement at a new boarding location (unlimited) * for correspondence student to take part in compulsory residential schools (unlimited) Tertiary students * beginning and end of course * for courses of more than one semester (17-23 weeks), a return trip during the year. * Exam travel (for a supplementary exam or one held away from normal base of study) * Graduation travel, if completing equivalent to two year full time course or a post graduate course. AUSTUDY Fares allowance (restrictions apply) Actual costs paid to cover * independent tertiary students only Type of travel covered- Secondary students Scheme does not exist! Tertiary students * beginning and end of course * for courses of more than six months, a return trip during the year * for correspondence students to take part in one only residential school requirement ABSTUDY Other travel * compassionate travel (i.e. critical illness, injury, death or funeral of an immediate family member) AUSTUDY Other travel Scheme does not exist! ABSTUDY Assistance to attend away from base activities Actual costs paid to cover- * testing and assessment programs * residential schools * field trips * placements AUSTUDY Assistance to Attend away from base activities Scheme does not exist! ABSTUDY Incidentals allowance Payable to- * over 18 secondary students * full time and part time tertiary students * Doctorate students Rates * $49 (less than 12 weeks) * $86 (12-16 weeks) * $172 (17-23 weeks) * $341 (24+ weeks) AUSTUDY Incidentals Allowance Scheme does not exist! ABSTUDY Additional incidentals allowance Payable to- * full time tertiary, Masters and Doctorate students who spent more than the above prescibed amounts Rates * $88 (less than 12 weeks) * $175 (12-16 weeks) * $349 (17-23 weeks) * $700 (24+weeks) NB: Masters and Doctorate students can claim up to $2,000 a year for things like telephone surveys AUSTUDY Additional Incidentals Allowance Scheme does not exist! ABSTUDY Masters and Doctorate allowance (not income tested) Living allowance- * $573.85 per fortnight (2 weeks) X 26 = $14,920/year Also available * relocation and removal costs when moving to take up study * HECS or course fees paid (whichever is less) * Thesis allowance * Pensioner education supplement (in lieu of living allowance) * Up to $2,000 a year to meet accommodation and travel costs * Up to $2,000 for additional incidentals allowance AUSTUDY Masters and Doctorate Allowance Scheme does not exist! * Masters and Doctorate students do not qualify for Austudy _at all_, except for the first four years only of Master of Engineering in Information Technology and Telecommunications at Flinders Uni, Uni of Adelaide and Uni of South Australia. ABSTUDY Failure * Failing, and thereby repeating a year will not affect payments AUSTUDY Failure * repeating year 12 will result in reassessment of payments, unless students can show just cause, i.e. illness or other factors beyond their control. ABSTUDY Held in lawful custody Still eligible for: * course costs * daily fares * away from base assistance * Fares Allowance AUSTUDY Held in Lawful Custody Automatic disqualification from Austudy! ABSTUDY Aboriginal Student Support and Parent Awareness Program Funds allocated to schools to pay for student activities: * $105 (for each primary school child) * $155 (for each secondary school child) AUSTUDY Student Support and Parent Awareness Program Scheme does not exist! ABSTUDY Aboriginal tutorial Assistance scheme Provides professional tutors free of charge: * primary and secondary student up to 5 hours per week * tertiary students up to 2 hours per subject per week * $50 a year for approved students under a Material and Equipment Allowance * students travelling 20 kilometres or more to attend tutorials have over night accommodation and travel costs paid for them * Homework Centres established for Aboriginal children to complete homework assignments under the supervision of tutors AUSTUDY Tutorial Assistance Scheme Scheme does not exist! ABSTUDY Vocational and Educational Guidance for Aboriginals Scheme * provides Government grants to organisations who conduct projects for Aboriginal students and their parents * covers travel, meals, equipment, venue hire, administrative costs, insurance, fees of instructors and supervisors, and other program related costs such as stationery expenses AUSTUDY Vocational and Educational Guidance Scheme Scheme does not exist! It is abundantly clear that a great chasm exists between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal access to education assistance. Why the financial burdens and hardships on families of comparable incomes differ due to 'Aboriginality' is a mystery. As a student, and as an Australian,I find this very disturbing. Rhianwen XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX 1 XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX Subj: Re: [auspolitics] Educational Allowances Date: 99-11-02 01:54:52 EST From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] (Téa-Louise Smith) Reply-to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] From: "Téa-Louise Smith" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Yes. There are significant differences in Austudy and Abstudy. Yet, even with all of these schemes in place, along with admission quotas at university for Aboriginal people, why on earth are there still only and handful who finish their TEE, and even less who actually go on to finish tertiary studies? I hate to imagine what it would be like without these schemes! We can never argue that Aborigines are advantaged in Australian society. In fact, they are extremely disadvantaged from the day they are born. And for anyone to deny them any kind of level playing field in society, even if it is artificially constructed in the form of a few bucks per year, then so be it. I dont have much time to write a long response with all the history and the arguments etc.... perhaps someone with more time can elaborate if you agree with me? I would like to suggest a book...its called "Our State of Mind" by Quentin Beresford from Fremantle Arts Press. all the Best Téa XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXx 2 XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX Subj: Re: [auspolitics] Educational Allowances Date: 99-11-02 02:03:02 EST From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] (Rhianwen) Reply-to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] From: =?iso-8859-1?q?Rhianwen?= <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Yes. There are significant differences in Austudy > and Abstudy. ** I do not think this is fair to non Aboriginal folks who are just as poor. Yet, even > with all of these schemes in place, along with > admission quotas at > university for Aboriginal people, why on earth are > there still only and > handful who finish their TEE, and even less who > actually go on to finish > tertiary studies? ** Gee, maybe it actually has nothing to do with money? I think the best thing would be to ask them why they drop out. I hate to imagine what it would be > like without these > schemes! ** I don't begrudge them the schemes, but I want them too! > > We can never argue that Aborigines are advantaged in > Australian society. In > fact, they are extremely disadvantaged from the day > they are born. And for > anyone to deny them any kind of level playing field > in society, even if it > is artificially constructed in the form of a few > bucks per year, then so be > it. ** What about other disadvantaged folks? Why is it only Aboriginals who get this extra help. I would rather ALL Australians had the same help and advantages, regardless of race. > I would like to suggest a book...its called "Our > State of Mind" by Quentin > Beresford from Fremantle Arts Press. ** What is it about? Is it from an academic (usually postmodernist) point of view, how does it stand politically? Rhianwen XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX End dialogue XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
