Otago student leaders have welcomed a $25 boost in support for weekly living costs, but fear this will not go far.
Otago University Students’ Association president Michaela Waite-Harvey said the extra support was unlikely to do much more than mitigate expected rent rises.
The wellbeing focus of the Budget was encouraging, but the student entitlement scheme was broken and the association had wanted to see moves such as extending the winter energy payment to students, she said.
Otago Polytechnic Students’ Association president Ezra Tamati said the extra $25 for both loans and allowances was a great start, but not enough.
The rise was appreciated, but student poverty was becoming more rampant, he said.
The association would have loved the rise to have taken effect immediately, instead of from April next year.
Otago Polytechnic welcomed the Government’s intention to expand the training incentive allowance, as well as a 5% boost in funding for apprenticeships and industry training.
More students were likely to enrol, polytechnic chief executive Dr Megan Gibbons said.
Changing equity funding would likely benefit many people who were studying, or looking to study, at bridging, certificate or diploma level, she said.
