Greens spokesperson for Education, Senator Sarah Hanson-Young says Education Minster Julia Gillard must heed widespread community concern and re-think proposed changes to Youth Allowance in Budget measures that will impact on young people and their families.

Senator Hanson-Young today wrote to Minister Gillard to urge her to re-think the removal of two work eligibility criteria for qualifying for the independent rate of Youth Allowance, announced in last week’s Federal Budget.

Greens spokesperson for Education, Senator Sarah Hanson-Young says the Federal Government must take seriously concerns about changes to Youth Allowance eligibility within the Federal Budget.

The Greens announced this morning that they would be referring Budget changes to the Youth Allowance to a Senate Inquiry and moving to amend the legislation when it reaches the Senate. Of particular concern is the removal of two of the three work eligibility criteria for a young person to qualify as independent, effective from January 2010.

The Greens say they will refer changes to Youth Allowance within last week’s Federal Budget to a Senate Inquiry to investigate the effect of those changes on students and their welfare and educational outcomes.

Last Tuesday’s Budget included the removal of two of the three work eligibility criteria* for a young person to qualify as independent, and so receive Youth Allowance as income support while they study. These changes are effective from January 2010.

Sarah discusses the Government's plans for a paid parental leave scheme on 9am with David & Kim.

You can watch the video here.

The Greens say changes to Youth Allowance in Tuesday’s Budget should have seen an increase in the fortnightly payment, and consistent introduction dates to allow students to prepare for their study careers.

Changes to Youth Allowance in the Budget included a tougher independence test, including removal of two of the three work eligibility criteria.

Greens spokesperson for Education, Senator Sarah Hanson-Young, said her office had been approached by concerned students and parents about the Government’s changes to independence under Youth Allowance.

Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young says that the Federal Government must intervene to protect childcare workers’ jobs and the stability of children’s care, as the fallout from last November’s ABC Learning collapse continues.

Today is the deadline for ABC Learning’s court-appointed receiver, PPB, to sell the 241 centres deemed unviable under the ABC Learning model. Reports say the fate of all of these centres is still not known, and that some workers have lost their jobs.

Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young introduced her Private Member’s Bill to provide for 26 weeks’ paid parental leave in the Senate this afternoon, with the aim of securing government-funded leave for Australian parents before 2011.

The Greens announced last month that Senator Hanson-Young would introduce the Bill, in light of widespread community support for such a scheme, and a lack of Government commitment to paid parental leave at the time.

Greens Senator for South Australia Sarah Hanson-Young has pointed to extra millions for Adelaide’s desalination plant and a drop in money for water reform in the Murray-Darling Basin as the weak links in South Australia’s allocation in the Federal Budget.

An extra $228 million was provided for Adelaide’s desalination plant on the agreement that it double its output from 50GL to 100GL per year, while $16.4 million over two years was cut from water reform programs for the Murray-Darling Basin.

Sarah talked to Kim Watkins and Steve Quartermain on 9am with David & Kim on Wednesday 13 May from Parliament House about the Federal Budget and paid parental leave.

You can watch the video here.