Over the Wall Ep 6 : Income Cuts to Students of Arts TAFE Courses

The 2017 Federal budget has a line item to cut welfare eligibility to students studying TAFE Courses deemed non-essential. The Federal Government continues to chip away at the social safety net, relentlessly. This time it’s a carefully executed plan to cease welfare income for students who study a TAFE course the government doesn’t approve. 

In 2016 the Turnbull Government axed by 56% the number of TAFE courses eligible for VET Fee which is student fee loan up front that also included reduced fees for people on welfare and a low income.

The 2017 Federal budget intends to also cut income assistance - things like Youth Allowance, AusStudy and AbStudy - for students who take on a VET course that’s not on the approved study list.

The budget measure is due to start still to pass through Parliament, but is due to start next year. The Government said it would only apply to new students, and would save the public purse $182 million over five years.

The opinion of Over the Wall is that this was a stuff-up by governments to provide oversight after deregulating the TAFE system. Dodgy operators exploited a TAFE system that hadn’t been set up properly by government in the first place. Soon in 2018 students are set to cop welfare cuts and reduction of TAFE options due to governmental mismanagement. Citizens are losing their eligibility for income support due to the ineptitude of political oversight after deregulation.

RELATED ARTICLES:

Student loans cut to creative courses

Richard Watts, Arts Hub

http://www.artshub.com.au/education/news-article/news/arts-education/richard-watts/student-loans-cut-to-creative-courses-252367

Government moves to slash welfare for TAFE and private college students

Shalailah Medhora : JJJ The Hack

http://www.abc.net.au/triplej/programs/hack/govt-moves-to-slash-student-welfare/9001144