Labor has turned their back on rural students looking to access Vocational Education and Training programs.
Member for Burnett Stephen Bennett said the Minister for Transport has refused to help Agnes Water students who can’t afford the transport costs.
In response to Mr Bennett’s Question on Notice requesting a review into the lack of transport subsidies for regional secondary school students to travel to their closes TAFE College, Mr Bailey stated:
“TMR offers paper tickets for students travelling in the Bundaberg Region. These tickets can be purchased for a single trip, daily trip, weekly trip or 10-trip validity. A student concession fare is 50 per cent cheaper than an adult fare….Travelling to other locations, such as TAFE, is not covered by the School Transport Assistance Scheme. Given the broad range of concessions currently available, with consistency in fare and zone structure across the state, I am advised that a review is not currently warranted.”
Mr Bennett said the response from Minister Bailey was a slap in the face for our hard-working students.
“These students want to learn and increase their future prospects, but the State Labor Government has put the brakes on them,” he said.
“They’re high school students and the daily commute of over $40 to get to TAFE is simply unaffordable for many of them.
“State Labor have been trumpeting ‘Fee-Free TAFE and VET courses’ for months, but that couldn’t be further from the truth for Burnett students.
“They’ve forgotten about the students in the bush.
“I’m asking Minister Bailey to step outside the Brisbane bubble.
“I invite him to come to the beautiful Burnett and take a ride through the electorate on our public transport system.
“But there’s a catch, Mr Bailey can’t use taxpayers’ money to cover the bus fares, nor can he catch a cab or plane when the few services don’t suit his timetable.
“It’s time the State Labor Government got a reality check.”
25/05/2023
ENDS.