Ms MARINO (Forrest—Opposition Whip) (20:26): I strongly support this motion moved by the member for Sturt because many families and students in my electorate have been unfairly discriminated against by the changes to youth allowance. In 2009 the Prime Minister decided to make the changes and she effectively chose winners and losers—and my students were the losers. The Prime Minister drew arbitrary lines on a map and inflicted stricter rules on those classified as inner regional compared to those classified as outer regional for the purpose of applying for independent youth allowance. So students have been, and still are, in limbo—that is what we have. We continue to hear dreadful examples of how this is affecting those in regional and rural areas like my own. For example, I know of two students who go to the same school, travel on the same bus and live just kilometres away from each other, yet one of the students is able to have a single gap year and the other has to work for 30 hours a week for 18 months and take two years away from study just to qualify for youth allowance support. I know that young people are choosing alternative pathways in year 11 and 12 already because they know their families cannot afford to send them to tertiary education and the government has not given them confidence. I know this because I talk to the mums and dads who are sometimes working two jobs each to try to afford their children's higher education or training at a time of significantly increased costs of living. I understand the discrimination these changes have brought to students and families in regional and rural areas. We on this side have introduced motions and legislation aimed at putting fairness back into the criteria for independent youth allowance, but the Labor government has voted against fairness and equity for regional and rural students every single time. We have provided a voice on behalf of every student in Australia whose higher education is being so badly affected by the Labor government's changes to accessing youth allowance. The Prime Minister recently released a media statement that claimed more people are receiving youth allowance support than ever before, according to new figures. She claimed success there, but how many of the additional students come from inner regional areas? Where is the breakdown of where these additional students are coming from? Unfortunately, the Labor government will go to any lengths and use all forms of spin to hide the truth that my students and their families are currently living with. This uncertainty is just dreadful. The truth is that students in inner regional areas are still being penalised by this government because of where they live and the Prime Minister continues to ignore their plight. They cannot find 30 hours of work in regional and rural areas because of seasonal work or a lack of work, or they cannot get access because of their age. I look forward to Senator Nash asking a range of questions during Senate estimates this week. The Labor government shows very little interest or understanding when dealing with the issues facing regional and rural residents. This was demonstrated to me when one parent recently contacted me. During this youth allowance debacle, on Wednesday, 17 June 2009, she sent the Prime Minister an email. She explained how these changes to youth allowance were affecting her family. To her surprise and disgust, it took until Friday, 6 May 2011 for her to see a brand new 'read receipt' email from her message. You might think I have mixed up the dates, but unfortunately it did take the Prime Minister—or her office—nearly two years to even read my constituent's email. And that was not the only time. Unfortunately, it reinforces the message that the Prime Minister views students and families with contempt. I am appalled and hurt for my constituents. This has been going on for too long. It is a very serious matter, and I condemn the Prime Minister for her treatment of people who are seeking the best educational and training opportunities for their families. What it has done to some of these people is just appalling. I want to thank every family that came along to the hearings that Professor Kwong Lee Dow conducted in my electorate. They gave heartfelt and very genuine explanations of what it has done to their families, and I thank them for their contributions. I call on the government to support this motion by the member for Sturt and bring forward the timetable for resolving this matter. It is so important to the decision making of young people and their families. Are they going to qualify this year? Will they be able to qualify next year? The young people who are in limbo deserve certainty and they need to be able to plan for their futures. This form of discrimination should not be allowed to continue.