(no subject)
"The Rudd Government today announced five key $950 one-off payments for low and middle income households and individuals.
The Government is providing these cash payments to immediately support jobs and strengthen the Australian economy during a severe global recession.
These five key bonuses include a:
* Tax Bonus for Working Australians of up to $950 paid to every eligible Australian worker earning $100,000 or less. This will support up to 8.7 million individuals.
* $950 Training and Learning Bonus paid to students and people outside of the workforce returning to study to help with the costs of education and training." -
http://www.pm.gov.au/media/Release/2009/media_release_0778.cfm
Spare a thought for postgraduate students who (in most cases) won’t be eligible for ‘stimulation’. Firstly, to be eligible for the “Training and Learning Bonus” students must be receiving Austudy, or some other similar welfare payment. Research postgrad students aren’t eligible for Austudy, therefore no student bonus. Secondly, under the conditions of the postgraduate stipend that most postgraduate research students live off (generally $20K, sometimes $25K+), work is restricted to a small amount of hours a week, generally for the university, and wouldn’t be enough to pass the lowest tax threshold, thereby paying tax. As such, postgrad students on the postgrad stipend won’t be eligible to receive the “Tax Bonus for Working Australians”.
It shouldn’t be forgotten that postgraduate study is a FULL TIME JOB, and as worthy and economically useful as any other. Those of us willing to spend at least three years of our lives in what is basically a poor paying research position are ensuring that research in Australia continues into the future. Nowadays to do research in science a PhD is virtually a prerequisite, and as useful training as an apprenticeship in building, or a teaching degree, or a TAFE course in hairdressing.
The Government is providing these cash payments to immediately support jobs and strengthen the Australian economy during a severe global recession.
These five key bonuses include a:
* Tax Bonus for Working Australians of up to $950 paid to every eligible Australian worker earning $100,000 or less. This will support up to 8.7 million individuals.
* $950 Training and Learning Bonus paid to students and people outside of the workforce returning to study to help with the costs of education and training." -
http://www.pm.gov.au/media/Release/2009/media_release_0778.cfm
Spare a thought for postgraduate students who (in most cases) won’t be eligible for ‘stimulation’. Firstly, to be eligible for the “Training and Learning Bonus” students must be receiving Austudy, or some other similar welfare payment. Research postgrad students aren’t eligible for Austudy, therefore no student bonus. Secondly, under the conditions of the postgraduate stipend that most postgraduate research students live off (generally $20K, sometimes $25K+), work is restricted to a small amount of hours a week, generally for the university, and wouldn’t be enough to pass the lowest tax threshold, thereby paying tax. As such, postgrad students on the postgrad stipend won’t be eligible to receive the “Tax Bonus for Working Australians”.
It shouldn’t be forgotten that postgraduate study is a FULL TIME JOB, and as worthy and economically useful as any other. Those of us willing to spend at least three years of our lives in what is basically a poor paying research position are ensuring that research in Australia continues into the future. Nowadays to do research in science a PhD is virtually a prerequisite, and as useful training as an apprenticeship in building, or a teaching degree, or a TAFE course in hairdressing.