From: u907736@postoffice.utas.edu.au (Edmund Chia)
Subject: Re: Standard of Living
Organization: University of Tasmania (Australia)
Date: Thu, 3 Sep 1992 13:06:24 GMT

In article <1992Sep3.055331.25839@lugb.latrobe.edu.au>, 9121248e@lux.latrobe.edu.au (JacK) writes:
> 
> In article <1992Sep2.122947.3111@newsroom.utas.edu.au> u907736@postoffice.utas.edu.au (Edmund Chia) writes:

(stuff deleted)
 
> Well.....Edmund.....what you have considered above are merely
> the living expenses (and they are increasing too...)
> I am sure "those" Australian students are not
> complaining the cost of food and rent......i think we all agree
> \it is very reasonable in Melbourne......or anywhere else in Aus...
> 
> 
> But....there are more things to life than a few kilos of rice and
> steaks.....what about the social expenses...??????....
> you can't have everyone sit in a flat and stare at a television...all
> night...... we are young.....we need to go out to have some fun....
> and yes...we could work for that money...but in this kind  of bad
> ecnomic times....a job is hard to find...believe me...i tried.....

Actually, I did not mention the costs of leisure/pleasure because I
wasn't sure if Austudy was meant to cover 'fun-expenses' - if I 
remembered my Dickens correctly, all a uni student needed was
a room and coffee. 
However, I concede the point, it would nice if Austudy also considered
the social needs of a student. However, do such needs have to be
costly??? Going by my experience here in Tasmania, there is a Disco
here which is free for students(before 12 a.m. & includes 1 free drink),
there are others which are also free though the times vary. How much
does 'conversation' with a friend cost or bushwalking or reading(books
from the local library) or sports(aerobics lessons cost $1/hour, badminton
courts/tennis courts/squash courts/use of gym costs about the same amount, 
jogging is free, computers are free, etc.

 
> Then..there is the cost of books....pens ..pencils...which may not
> cost a bucket  each time...but they do add up to big bills...
> especially..the books.....

Actually, I have always felt that the costs of textbooks was the single
strong argument for 'doubling' Austudy. The price-tag attached to textbooks
always mades me wonder if the Australian government was trying to discourage
education or restrict it to the rich. If I was to buy every book recomended
for my courses, I'd be looking at about $1000/= worth of books, even if I
restricted myself to the 'bare ESSENTIAL texts', it would still cost me about
$300/-. I did not buy any textbooks but relied heavily on the library for my
needs, although if everyone did the same, then library resources would definately
be inadequate.
However, I would suggest that it might be wiser to 'subsidize' textbooks as opposed
to increasing Austudy. The latter option could never ensure that the money was used
for textbooks instead of something else, e.g. comic books.

> and not forget the cost of travel....some student may not be able
> to afford a place close to uni. 

I drive and it costs me on average $10/week for petrol. The public transport
here would cost a student $27/month(I think) for unlimited travel.

> all and all....the Austudy money don't really go too far.....
> 
> I mean everyone would like to have a few more dollars left to their
> bank account...after paying all the bills.....
> 
> and that's why students want more Austudy payment....

I'm sure everyone would like more money in the bank but is Austudy meant
to be a savings plan. Australia is quite a rich country but not that rich.
There are many competiting claims on the public purse, the homeless, the
destitute, the unemployed, the aged, research, etc. Of course, there is 
also the counter-argument that public money is better spent on the student
than on perks for politicians. Anyway, thats another issue altogether. My
interest was in whether or not overseas students tend to have a less expensive
life-style than their Australian counter-parts. And if so, why? - are they
'slumming' or are the reasons cultural or some other reason.

 
> **************************************************************************
>                             || THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:
> Jack Liu		    || I hope if dogs ever take over the world,   
> La Trobe University         || and they choose a king, they don't just 
> Melbourne, Australia        || go by size, because i bet there are some 
> Internet Address:           || chihuahuas with some good ideas.......
>  9121248e@lux.latrobe.edu.au|| :-)
> *************************************************************************


Edmund

:-) If dogs did ever take over the world, I hope they chose a REAL dog like a 
sheepdog becomes king and not a yapping coddled 'sissy' dog like the chihuahua
Newsgroups: aus.students.overseas