A complete reset of student support.
The Green Party will ensure students have what they need to focus on their study, stay healthy, and enjoy life.
We all benefit when somebody takes on tertiary study, contributes original thought and their skills to our communities, hapori, country and the world.
Political decisions over the last few decades have normalised and entrenched student poverty, with many struggling to pay rent and put food on the table.
This wasn’t an accident - and it can be fixed.
Last year the Green Party worked with student unions across the country to launch the People’s Inquiry into Student Wellbeing. The findings were grim. Two-thirds of students regularly do not have enough money to buy food, pay bills, or access healthcare.
Our Income Guarantee will support students with everything they need to succeed without having to skip meals to make ends meet. Whatever they are studying, whatever level they’re studying it at, and no matter how old they are or how much their parents earn.
We will overhaul the tertiary funding model so our institutions are sustainable and operate in the public good.
The time is now to make sure every student has what they need to stay healthy, pay the bills, and focus on their study - ensuring an Aotearoa that works for everyone.
Our plan
- Support students with a universal payment of $385 a week, including at postgraduate level, and ensure courses that require work placements pay students at least the living wage.
- Overhaul funding for the tertiary sector to ensure it supports rigorous research, a wide range of course options, quality teaching, comprehensive student services, and decent pay and working conditions for administrative and academic staff.
- Expand free apprenticeship programmes, and work towards fees-free education for all tertiary courses.
- Address the impact of student debt by increasing the threshold for student loan repayments and reducing the repayment rate, while working towards a student debt write-off.
- Ensure all tertiary institutes uphold te Tiriti o Waitangi and deliver equitable outcomes for tauira Māori, and fully resource Te Wānanga o Aotearoa to increase opportunities and pathways for kaupapa Māori education.
- Strengthen student voice in tertiary governance and return to default student union membership.
- Reform student accommodation, including through compliance requirements under the Residential Tenancies Act, to ensure high
standards of housing and pastoral care. - Require tertiary institutes to provide disabled students with equitable opportunities to achieve their individual capabilities and participate in all aspects of tertiary education life.