The Green Party is calling for urgent support for tertiary students, pushing to extend both the $50-a-week fuel crisis relief payment and the Winter Energy Payment to those currently missing out.
The move comes as the cost-of-living crisis continues to hit young people hard, with rising fuel prices and winter power bills adding pressure to already stretched student budgets.
Under current settings, the government’s fuel relief package is targeted mainly at working families, providing around $50 a week to help offset soaring petrol costs.
However, students have largely been excluded from that support, despite facing many of the same financial pressures.
The Green Party says that gap needs to be addressed, arguing students are among those most vulnerable to rising living costs, particularly as many rely on part-time work or limited income support.
Alongside fuel relief, the party is also advocating for students to be included in the Winter Energy Payment, which provides weekly support during the colder months to help with heating costs.
Currently, the payment is available to people receiving certain benefits or pensions, but most tertiary students are not eligible unless they meet specific hardship criteria.
Advocates say this leaves many students living in cold, damp housing without the support needed to stay warm, despite evidence that student accommodation is often among the poorest quality in the country.
The Greens argue extending both payments would provide immediate relief, helping students manage transport costs and keep their homes heated through winter.
The proposal also ties into broader calls from student groups, who have been pushing for increased financial support as living costs rise and economic pressures intensify.
With fuel prices and energy costs remaining volatile, the debate is likely to continue, as pressure grows on the government to expand support to groups currently falling through the cracks.
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