Today, Young New Zealand First would like to echo the fears demonstrated by students in the Otago region. First and foremost, we urge students to get tested to continue to ensure educational institutions can respond effectively and consistently. However, that being said, local reporting indicates that a number of students are hesitant to get tested, and we understand why.

It is very clear why the student population holds this hesitancy, during this pandemic the Labour Government has neglected the needs of students continuously when formulating responses. The Government has again failed to keep the student population in mind when developing the latest phase of the Omicron response, by demanding students get tested and thus isolate they are condemning hundreds of students to financial struggle. In the last couple of weeks students have moved into new flats for the upcoming year, they have little to no permanent support network to rely on basic needs or assistance. Furthermore, many students who have to top up their student loans – which have not even begun to be distributed for 2022 – with paid work in order to survive will not be able to do so. Not only are these struggles going to be harsh for newly relocated students, but the mental health risks associated with previous lockdowns will likely rear their heads again, but this time with added financial stress. Young people, and students in particular, felt unsupported during lockdowns and many struggled with mental health related issues, demanding hundreds of students self-isolate during such a high stressed time period would be throwing them to the wolves once more and this time without a wage subsidy.

“We are calling on the Government to provide immediate financial relief and assistance to the student community who will continue to struggle with the Omicron outbreak and the Government’s nonsensical regulations” said Young New Zealand First Chairman Keegan Langeveld. “The Government needs to extend some goodwill to the student community; First we are told vaccine mandates will allow us to learn in person again and now many universities have deemed online learning the only option under the Government framework. Next, we’re asked to get tested, but doing so condemns us to an untenable situation that could have severe impacts to the financial and mental wellbeing of the student community. The Government needs to throw us a lifeline if they expect us to continue to sacrifice during the coming months. A simple way to do this would be to repeat the actions made in 2020 and double the course related costs loan amount from $1,000 to $2,000. Or, provide a unique lump sum payment of $250 to students for every week they are instructed to spend in isolation.”

Young New Zealand First is calling on the Government to finally give students a dignified reaction and alleviate some of the chest-tightening stress students are facing because of the Government’s continued restrictions.

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