Catch 22 - Vacation Earnings

Under the present scheme, the more money you have saved, the less money you are likely to get during the academic year. On the other hand, if you were unable to get a job, you may be told you should have (never mind the fact that the country is facing its highest level of unemployment since the Depression) and so still get nothing. Furthermore the Department of Education expects applicants who had difficulties getting a job over the long vacation to provide documentary evidence of prompt registration with the Department of Labour. However, the Department of Labour refuses to supply this evidence.

Some groups are particularly disadvantaged by the Department's policy on savings. One example is students who have Farm Ownership Accounts or similar investments. Although the whole object of such long term investments is to be able to set aside money which cannot be touched, the Department expects such students to live off these savings, and so jeopardise their future plans, and even their reason for being at university. Likewise, students whose parents have set up trusts for their education are being told to break in to the capital investment.

Table 1: Percentage Movements in SHG Awards (Under 20)

Level and Date of Award	$0-5	$5-9	$10-14	$15-17
March	4.1	11.5	19.4	65.0 (100%)
April	4.7	11.8	19.9	63.8 (100%)
May	6.3	13.0	23.3	57.5(100%)
June	8.2	16.8	33.1	41.9 (100%)

Table 2: Percentage Movements in SHG Awards (Over 20)

Level and Date of Award	$0-5	$5-9	$10-14	$15-17
March (%)	3.1	7.9	28.8	60.1
April (%)	3.3	9.1	37.0	50.6
May (%)	3.5	9.2	39.8	47.6
June (%)	3.3	9.2	51.1	36.4