04/04/2020
No thing for International Student .
Absoloute Disaster
The government has just confirmed they will not lift a finger to support the 565,000 students who we welcomed into our country and whose fees and work we've all benefited from.
In this pandemic, international students have lost their jobs, found themselves unable to pay rent or put food on the table, and face living in squalid conditions.
Hundreds have contacted me to share their stories of unemployment, financial stress & precarious living situations.
The government must extend the Coronavirus Supplement to international students and make JobKeeper payments available to them as well.
Minister Tudge says students should look to family support to get them through this. But many come from countries severely impacted by the pandemic, where lockdowns & health crises have closed businesses & closures & losses of income. Family support can no longer be relied upon.
If we truly are all in this together, then the ‘all’ must include international students in strife.
We are at risk of a serious humanitarian crisis if the government does not step in & support international students as a matter of urgency.
