University Students Cry Poor

Illawarra Mercury

Wednesday August 1, 2001

WITH MICHELE TYDD

Students say their allowances aren't enough to live on and are lobbying to have them boosted, reports MICHELE TYDD `I rarely do grocery shopping and live off free food around the uni such as the Tuesday barbecues.' `I was left $10 a fortnight to spend so the only alternative was a student loan.'

EATING from restaurant skip bins and turning to prostitution are just some of the desperate stories revealed in the campaign to boost university student allowances.

The National Union of Students (NUS), in the lead-up to the federal election this year, has started lobbying politicians from both sides to inject some humanity into allowances.

Wollongong University's Student Representative Council (SRC) is also preparing to join the fight for more money and few restrictions on access to allowances.

The maximum amount students under 25 can obtain on the youth allowance is $265 a fortnight, with rent assistance where applicable.

The aim is to boost allowances - including Austudy - obtained by students over 25 by 40 per cent.

Wollongong SRC president John Finlayson said the issue of students struggling to survive was a constant worry for the union.

``We have people in really dire straits who can't live on the pittances they are receiving," Mr Finlayson said.

State NUS secretary Ryan Heath said although it was tough for students in Wollongong, it was worse in metropolitan areas like Sydney.

``I've heard of a few people turning to massage parlours and full-on prostitution to keep going - sure those stories are rare but they do happen," he said.

``More common are people simply dropping out, which is a real shame because we are losing the diversity of people in our lecture rooms.

``I've been at uni since 1998 and I can see that happening, with kids from privileged backgrounds taking up most of the seats."

The Mercury spoke to a number of students on Wollongong campus about how they manage their finances.

Annaliese Constable, 20, receives $305, including rent assistance, a fortnight.

``It's getting harder and harder to survive. I live with five people which makes study almost impossible because you have people coming in and out all the time," she said.

``I rarely do grocery shopping and live off free food around the uni such as the Tuesday barbecues and the nibbles that go on offer at exhibition openings.

``Sometimes friends who live with parents invite me around for dinner which is great."

Annaliese said the NUS push for a 40 per cent increase was beyond her wildest dreams.

``Any increase would be greatly appreciated," she said.

Davis Demilo, 27, who has just come off youth allowance, said he looks back over the past three years and wonders how he got through his engineering degree.

``After paying the essentials I was left $10 a fortnight to spend so the only alternative was a student loan," he said.

``I was the SRC welfare officer last year and the demand for food at the free Tuesday barbecue was sad.

``You could tell hundreds of students had been holding out for this one square meal because money had just run out.

``I never considered dropping out but you do tend to wonder that you are making all these sacrifices just so you can pay back the loans you tick up and the HECS (Higher Education Contribution Scheme)."

Chris Williams, 23, receives $360 including rent allowance a fortnight.

``When you consider some textbooks cost $100 this amount of money is laughable," he said.

``In my case I have to eat cheaply and unhealthily and accumulate massive debts to my father.

``But you don't like leaning on parents too much because they don't have the money to spare.

``Governments talk about the knowledge nation but expect us to burden all the costs."

Belinda Selke, 23, receives $320 a fortnight including rent.

``I can't survive on that amount of money so I borrow from my mother who is on a carer's pension," she said.

``There is no such thing as entertainment and eating out, and food comes down to lots of rice and lentils.

``Things got a lot worse after GST because now I'm finding there is no money for food about two days before my allowance comes in ... it means a packet of chips on borrowed money or whatever is in the cupboard."

© 2001 Illawarra Mercury

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