A Commonwealth Prac Payment will support Gilmore students undertaking mandatory work placements required for university and vocational education and training qualifications.

The Albanese Government’s new payment will be for eligible teaching, nursing, midwifery and social work students in the region.

Each year, the payment will provide around 68,000 eligible higher education students and over 5,000 VET students across the country with $319.50 per week during their clinical and professional placement periods.

Federal Member for Gilmore Fiona Phillips said, benchmarked to the single Austudy per week rate, the payment would provide cost-of-living relief for many students.

“It will be means-tested and available from 1 July 2025 and will be in addition to any income support a student may also receive,” she said.

“The government will work with the higher education and vocational education sectors to introduce and deliver this new support.

“The introduction of this payment acts on the advice of the Universities Accord and the Women’s Economic Equality Taskforce.”

Paid placements will help ease the care and teaching workforce skills shortages identified in the Government’s Employment White Paper and assist more students to commence and complete their studies.

“With the majority of students and workers in these critical care fields being women, the payment also helps implement the Government’s gender equality strategy, Working for Women,” Mrs Phillips said.

“The payment will also help support the pipeline of social workers available to support those affected by family, domestic and sexual violence.”

Mrs Phillips said the Albanese Labor Government was addressing the risks of placement poverty for teaching, nursing and social work students in Gilmore.

“I’ve heard about the cost of living stress that students face with unpaid, mandatory placements and that’s why this Government is acting.

“This will help encourage more students to study teaching, nursing and social work – all of which are critical to our local workforce and community.”

The Prac payment is in addition to the government's investment in Fee-Free TAFE which is supporting thousands to gain Division 2 nursing qualifications and helping to address skills shortages in aged and health care. 

“We are making it more accessible for people right across the country for people to get the skills they need to attain jobs in areas of high demand,” Mrs Phillips added.

This is on top of our move to cut the student debt of more than three million Australians in this month’s budget.

Media Contact: Katrina Condie 0437 662 967