Tanczos Nandor: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Tanczos Nandor: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:625;Page:20573] 
1. NANDOR TANCZOS (Green) 
 to the  
Minister for Social Development and Employment 
: Does he have confidence in his ministry’s administration of student allowances? 
Hon STEVE MAHAREY (Minister for Social Development and Employment) 
: 
 Yes I do. I am very pleased with the way that StudyLink has turned round the administration of both student allowances and study loans following the disaster we inherited in the year 2000. We commissioned an independent review by Karen Erenstrom Associates and committed $4.9 million in additional funding over 4 years so that its recommendations could be implemented. Student satisfaction has risen substantially as a result. This is just one of the many instances where we have had to repair the damage done to the basic provision of Government services by the previous National Government. 
Nandor Tanczos 
: Is he satisfied with the ministry’s position that if a student earns 1c over the allowable income limit of $135.13 a week that student loses his or her entire student allowance for that week; if so why? 
Hon STEVE MAHAREY 
: The thresholds were last set in 1995 during the period of the student discussion document. We have heard a lot from students that they would like to see those thresholds changed. Policy is set by my colleague the Minister of Education who I am sure has listened very closely to those students. 
Moana Mackey 
: What improvement has StudyLink made to ensure a better service for students who are applying for financial assistance? 
Hon STEVE MAHAREY 
: The recently introduced StudyWise pilot is helping students to make better decisions about options for financing their studies while they minimise the debt that they incur. StudyLink has also introduced a “highway to your future” information service for senior secondary students and their parents. StudyLink now enables students to apply for student loans and allowances online via the StudyLink website. During the years’ 2004-05 peak application period approximately 40 percent of all applications received were made via that Internet process. 
Bernie Ogilvy 
: Has he given any consideration when administering student allowances to raising parental income thresholds for every other child in the family who is in study so that more students can access allowances—as proposed by United Future? 
Hon STEVE MAHAREY 
: That issue has been raised consistently by students and in the student discussion document that I mentioned earlier it was one of the major proposals put forward by the respondents. I am sure that once again the person who sets policy the Minister of Education has listened very closely to those views. 
Nandor Tanczos 
: Is the Minister aware of the decision of the Student Allowance Appeal Authority in December last that the ministry has been wrong in applying the income limit of $135.13 on a week-by-week basis rather than as an average over the period of eligibility and will he ensure that his ministry now abides by that decision; if not why not? 
Hon STEVE MAHAREY 
: The answer is yes I am and the ministry is looking at that decision. 
Nandor Tanczos 
: Why has the Government for the past 5 years pursued that interpretation of the Student Allowances Regulations described by the Student Allowance Appeal Authority as a “flawed” approach with “irrational consequences” when it meant that people earning $2000 over their study period could have to repay around the same amount of their allowance as a person earning $11000 over the same period simply because of how their payments were timed? 
Hon STEVE MAHAREY 
: Because that is what was understood to be the proper legal position. 
Sue Bradford 
: Does the Minister not understand that students who carry out casual work have variable hours and thus a variable income and that it makes no sense at all to require a repayment just because that income exceeds $135.13 in one week when it actually averages well below that; why would he support that policy? 
Hon STEVE MAHAREY 
: No I understand exactly the position that the member is putting. It was put very forcefully to us during the preparation of the student discussion document and I am sure that the Minister who is responsible for administering education policy the Minister of Education has listened very closely to those arguments. 
Nandor Tanczos 
: Given that the decision made by the Student Allowance Appeal Authority is very clear will the Government now admit that it is wrong stop pursuing students for money they do not owe and repay those whom it has wrongly penalised under that mean-spirited and penny-pinching interpretation of the regulations? 
Hon STEVE MAHAREY 
: The ministry has of course to administer literally billions of dollars. It does so under what it believes is the correct legal interpretation. When it receives a review of its policies in the form of the Student Allowance Appeal Authority decision that Mr Tanczos is talking about of course it has to go back look at the law and change its behaviour if appropriate.