EXPLANATORY STATEMENT
Issued by the authority of the Minister for Employment, Education and Training
STATUTORY RULES 1988 NO. 347
STUDENT ASSISTANCE REGULATIONS (AMENDMENT)
OUTLINE
1. The Student Assistance Act 1973 (“the Act”) provides the legislative basis for Postgraduate Awards. The present Statutory Rules amend the Student Assistance Regulations (“the Regulations”) that have been made under section 36 of the Act.
2. The amendments provide for the following changes:
(i) increase the Postgraduate Award living allowance levels;
(ii) remove the limits on income from other awards which provide benefits similar to those provided under a Postgraduate Award.
3. Item (i) will implement a decision taken in the 1988 Budget. Item (ii) will give effect to a policy decision.
COMMENCEMENT
4. The proposed amendments will take effect on 1 January 1989.
NOTES ON REGULATIONS
Regulation 1: Commencement
5. Regulation 1 will provide for the regulations to come into operation on 1 January 1989.
Regulation 2: Principal Regulations
6. Regulation 2 will provide that the Student Assistance Regulations are to be referred to as the “Principal Regulations”.
Regulation 3: Supplementary Assistance
7. Regulation 3 will amend existing regulation 51 by omitting subregulations (7), (7A), (7B), (7C), (8) and (9), which relate to limits on supplementary assistance allowable to an Award holder in addition to Postgraduate Award benefits.
Regulation 4: Living Allowance
8. Regulation 4 will amend existing regulation 70, which provides for the payment of living allowance under Postgraduate Awards. It will increase the basic rate of living allowance from $8,882 a year to $10,415 a year.