Students Target Labour On Summer Allowance

Student leaders today vowed not to let another summer break go by without students having access to the Emergency Unemployment Benefit.

Today the New Zealand University Students Association wrapped up its first conference of the year and resolved to launch a nation-wide campaign demanding the reinstatement of the Emergency Unemployment Benefit (EUB).

"The government needs to realise that another summer without the EUB is unacceptable to students and their pre-election talk of being a student friendly government is starting to ring hollow," said Andrew Campbell, New Zealand University Students Association Co-President.

"Without the EUB, students are in the unenviable position of being the only group in society not entitled to financial support from the government whilst unemployed."

"We note that Labour is the only party in the government and its supporters that opposes this fundamental right. We intend to make this clear to students on campus and the wider community."

Universal access to the EUB was withdrawn by the former National Government in 1998, and at the time the then Opposition spokesperson on Tertiary Education, Steve Maharey, promised students that a Labour Government would restore the EUB.

"The NZUSA conference instilled student leaders with a new sense of purpose and we are determined to lead the debate on education policy in 2001," concluded Andrew Campbell.

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