On the 14th of August at 9.30am students from across Wellington gather to protest at the Ministry of Social Development, 56 The Terrace, against the exclusion of Students from the Winter Energy Payment scheme. 

The Winter Energy Payment is a scheme available to most beneficiary groups – with the exception of students. This is whilst statistics overwhelmingly show that students are more likely to live in cold, damp, and moldy accommodation with highly strained incomes.

“Students are currently paying the highest energy bills they have ever had to pay for. This is underpinned by rising public transport, and other cost of living pressures” Welfare Vice President Josh Robinson said.

“Students are sick and tired of becoming cold and ill as a result of their incomes not being enough to cover their winter energy bills. Students are ending up in hospital with respiratory illnesses, and applications to University winter energy grants are at an all time high” Robinson added.

This lack of vital support is undoubtedly adding to the mass exodus of students leaving Aotearoa in their thousands to pursue futures elsewhere.

The current petition by the Victoria University of Wellington Students’ Association (VUWSA) numbers over 500 signatures, alongside an open letter signed by unions and social service providers across the country.

Students all across the country have spoken. Now is the time for action, now is the time for the government to extend winter energy payments to students.

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