ABSTUDY cuts:
Hitting education where it hurts most

The Federal Government's proposed changes to ABSTUDY next year will lead 
to a sharp decline in mature age Indigenous students enrolling for TAFE and 
university study by substantially reducing their financial support, the 
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission has warned.

This is despite the fact that they are the Indigenous community members 
most ready and equipped to contribute to the economic, social and political 
development of their communities as a result of their studies and often act 
as role models for young people.

The proposed changes to ABSTUDY also:

* imply the abandonment by the Federal Government of equity targets for 
Indigenous Australians in the tertiary sector;

* will result in more than $18 million being cut from the ABSTUDY budget;

* will expose a gap in comprehensive student support at the State and 
Territory level as Indigenous students seek safety net alternatives to 
ABSTUDY-assisted education.

These are among the key findings of a detailed independent analysis 
commissioned by ATSIC of the proposed changes to ABSTUDY by the Institute 
of Koori Education at the Deakin University in Victoria.

The study has found that the changes, which are due to take effect on 
January 1 next year, will benefit less than 1,000 young and single 
students, a small proportion of the ABSTUDY student population.

They will significantly disadvantage more than 14,000 Indigenous 
tertiary students.

These are mature age students who make up almost 80 per cent of TAFE and 
University Indigenous students. The majority of these mature age students 
are women, who in turn make up almost half of the TAFE and university 
ABSTUDY recipients.

The most disadvantaged will be those on Sole Parent Pensions and Disability 
Support Pensions.

Under the proposed changes they will lose $60 per fortnight as full-time 
students and $30 per fortnight as part-time students.

The study identifies more then 6,900 students currently receiving such 
benefits.

"I believe this analysis clearly shows the proposed changes will hit where 
they will hurt most", said ATSIC Chairman Gatjil Djerrkura.

"Mature age students serve as role models for our young. Despite the gains 
in Indigenous education in the past three decades, Indigenous students lag 
behind other Australians by almost any measure of participation or 
attainment. The gap between the rates of retention for non-Indigenous 
students compared with Indigenous students has increased and is expected to 
worsen."

Mr Djerrkura said there was no justification for reducing incentives to 
participate in the education system.

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