COUNTRY KIDS PAY FOR LABOR INCOMPETENCE
24-February-2011
The Rural Tertiary Hardship Fund, a $20 million program aimed at assisting disadvantaged rural and regional students was to begin delivering money in January 2011. But students cannot apply for the payment because the Government can’t get a basic application form finalised.
Member for Indi, Sophie Mirabella MP said
"This is yet another classic Labor example of ignoring the needs of country students.
“Tertiary Education Minister, Chris Evans is utterly incompetent.
“I have had parents and students coming into my office absolutely dumbfounded. The details of the program are listed on Government websites and the Minister has put out media releases, but no one can apply because there are no application forms.
“There are students in the North East who are in need of this money now and it must be incredibly frustrating that cannot even apply for it.
“My office has spoken with Centrelink, and they don’t even know what’s going on. It just amazes me t
hat Labor can’t even get the most basic of tasks right.”
The Minister representing the Tertiary Education Minister, Peter Garrett was pressed about the application forms in Question Time this week but refused to answer the question.
“I have written to Senator Evans, urging him to finalise the relevant application forms forthwith,” Mrs Mirabella concluded.