Am I entilted to ANYTHING? (1 Viewer)

[Trentyboi]

Look, I'm not one of those rich kids that has their parents pay for everything. I've been working since I was 14 whilst studying (of course).

I live in the Gold Coast and it would take me around 2 hours by public transport to get to the nearest university (a private one at that).

My parents don't make a combined income of over the $55 000 threshhold, however they have some investment properties which makes me ineligible for the student allowance plan. But the thing is that they don't make a profit from the rental properties at the moment so it's not like we get anything out of it.

I am already paying rent for a place in Brisbane so that I can work in my new job. I still go down to the Gold Coast one a week/two weeks for a few nights. My parents give me the $30 or so a week that I get from the government and I pay my own rent and expenses.

I am pretty much supporting myself entirely and because of a lack of a nearby university I had to move to Brisbane and support myself. I could only work on weekends in the Gold Coast because I could only get transport with my Dad (busses take like 2 hours yet again) so I can work 6 days a week in Brisbane. Somewhat more financially secure than working two 4 hours shifts on Saturday and Sunday.

I think it's rediculous that I can't be proven as 'independent' when I will be supporting myself entirely when I move up to Brisbane entirely (no more trips to the GC) and will no longer receive ANYTHING from the government nor my parents.

Any ideas? I'm thinking of applying for some financial scholarships at my university that I will be starting this year.

I mean, I can live off of the money I am making at my new job. I just think it's a bit unfair that some kids can still live at home and have this extra money from doing nothing because their parents don't make enough money (same as mine, but with the equity issue...)

Thanks in advance.

Edit: Better yet; because I received all my tax back last year I am not even entilted to the $950 government contribution scheme.

 

[Andi0390]

I'm not sure about your exact situation, the only people who could answer that are Centrelink.

I would guess they would say no. If your parents have more money in both annual income and property then the government thinks that they should be supporting you. If they don't its their choice, but on paper it appears like they can and that is all that really matters to Centrelink.

You might be able to get some kind of distance payment if you are that far away from any university, but I am not sure. It would be best to go talk to them, if you can prove that you cannot continue your studies at home (due to lack of resources) and that your parents refuse to support you at all if you are living out of home, then maybe they will look at classing you as an independent. Go talk to a social worker there. When they wouldn't class me as independent I talked to the counselor at my school and she got on Centrelinks back, getting a qualified person to support your case can go a long way with Centrelink.

 

[AlleyCat]

if youve been working since you were 14, surely you'd be able to make a thousand dollars a month for 18 months to prove that you're independent.

get a better paying job if they dont pay you $250/week.

 

[townie]

if youve been working since you were 14, surely you'd be able to make a thousand dollars a month for 18 months to prove that you're independent.

get a better paying job if they dont pay you $250/week.

it needs to be 18 months since LEAVING SCHOOL but


i think ur stuffed for now, but take solace in the fact you'll be able to claim the away from home rate (because of distance) when u do finally get YA

 

[Trentyboi]

Where I lived there wasn't really that many jobs.

So I'm pretty much screwed I guess. Well, that's great.

My mother doesn't work, and I am positive my father doesn't earn over $80 000 per annum. So it's only the equity section.

Should I speak to my university first? As in like a counsellor?

 

[AlleyCat]

you could, but why not just keep working and supporting yourself in the meantime, plenty of students do that.

 

[L]

nah bra

 

[Trentyboi]

Well, the problem is that my hours are very sketchy. Just next week I have 15 hours. I've only been working there a few weeks. But on Monday I'm going to ask for more hours that are stable even if I have to explain my situation too. Most kids that work there still live at home so yeah.

If that doesn't work, I can always transfer to another Coles I guess. Or another department or begin to look for another job.

 

[-may-cat-]

yea, the centrelink requirements for independence are ridiculous, put simply, its a shit go and you just have to wait till you meet those requirements to gain anything substantial.

 

[Trentyboi]

So what am if my parents denounce my dependency of them? I am a dependent of my independence? What a joke.

 

[Trentyboi]

This is what I've decided to do:

* See if I am can claim anything for living away from home.

How I will do this?

The course I am studying is a Bachelor of Business with a major in accounting. The only public university in the Gold Coast (Griffith) that offers an accounting major is a bachelor of commerce. I could argue that I want my degree to be business, Gold Coast does not have that, hence my move to Brisbane.

Then, I could outline the impossibilities of getting to and fro Brisbane every day I study though public transport. As it would take easily an hour and a half (two busses) to get to the train station and another hour and 10 minutes (excluding the waiting time between bus and train) for the train ride itself. My father is the only one with a car and he works of course.

Do you think my odds are good?

 

[katietheskatie]

um

griffith has business degrees? i'm studying one right now, you can major in accounting as far as i know (ew)

edit; i guess they changed it, you used to be able to. is it THAT much of a difference in the title of the degree? you still come out with basically the same qualification. if you want to go to all the hassle of fucking around with brisbane for a minor degree difference ..

 

[Trentyboi]

Katie, that's not the point. I always wanted to study in QUT. But through some luck and good thinking I may be able to get some extra assistance because I got screwed over and can't get youth allowance.

The Gold Coast does not offer what I need and the public transport is not adequate. Which is why I needed to move.

That's what I'll say.

 

[katietheskatie]

good luck with proving that lol

 

[Trentyboi]

Proving what?

Gold Coast doesn't have what I need. Public transport sucks. I can give them the time-tables if they want. I have all the proof I need

I just wonder if it's enough. Which is why I'm posting here before I'm calling them up.

 

[DTFM]

You aren't going to get shit.

 

[Trentyboi]

Care to elaborate?

 

[DTFM]

Care to elaborate?

They aren't going to give you anything at all. Don't bother with it.

 

[u-borat]

ur entitled to an economic crisis

 

[hannahxxx]

I think it's rediculous that I can't be proven as 'independent' when I will be supporting myself entirely......

I mean, I can live off of the money I am making at my new job. I just think it's a bit unfair that some kids can still live at home and have this extra money from doing nothing because their parents don't make enough money (same as mine, but with the equity issue...)

Edit: Better yet; because I received all my tax back last year I am not even entilted to the $950 government contribution scheme.

From your info, I would agree that you just have to keep your head down working, earning about $250 a week, until you hit the 18K mark. And yeah it isn't fair. And the fact that you don't get the mini-budget cash payment isn't fair either. I also live away from home and don't get a cent. Good luck with the scholarship option