Mr QUICK —My question is to the Minister for Employment, Education, Training and Youth Affairs. Minister, what advice have you had from your department about the number of students returning to school as a result of the introduction of the youth allowance, particularly in areas of high unemployment, such as Mount Druitt, Campbelltown, Logan and Bundaberg? Has this advice included an assessment of the extra funds required by these schools? If so, what is your strategy to meet the need?

Dr KEMP —I thank the honourable member for his question. The youth allowance is, of course, one of the very important initiatives of this government to give a very positive message to young people that they should not think that their future is assured if they drop out of school and go onto the dole. What this government believes is that young people should be back in school when they are 16-year-olds and 17-year-olds, investing in their future by continuing with their education and training. The common youth allowance will provide the incentives for young people to do precisely this.

Let me say several things about the common youth allowance, because it is obvious that the Labor Party is again walking into one of these dead ends that the Leader of the Opposition likes to lead them into. The common youth allowance is not a savings measure. It provides additional support to young Australians for their study and training.

Mr Beazley —Mr Speaker, I rise on a point of order. We have moved well beyond the question of the policy. We are now asking questions about the number of students returning to school as a result of the introduction of the youth allowance. What advice has the minister received in that regard and has it included an assessment of the extra funds required next year by those schools? It is a pretty straightforward, factual question. It does not seek a general rage about the policy. If he has not the figures, tell him to sit down.

Mr SPEAKER —There is no point of order.

Dr KEMP —The students, in fact, will be the very big winners under the government's youth allowance, because, for the first time, rent assistance will be available to some 78,000 students who previously have been unable to gain this assistance.

Mr Beazley —Mr Speaker, I rise on a point of order. It was a very highly specific question. We have moved on beyond the policy. We now want to know what its effects are. What are the assessments of the number of students returning to school as a result of the policy, and what is the cost going to be?

Mr SPEAKER —There is no point of order. The minister is addressing the thrust of the question and embracing a large number of students, some of whom will live in the member for Franklin's electorate.

Dr KEMP —It is very important to set the context of this, because the government has provided the resources that will particularly cater to the needs of these young students who are returning to university and to school. We anticipate that over the full year there could be some 27,000 additional students in schools around Australia, and the government has allocated $187 million to encourage the development in schools of vocational education and training courses which will particularly meet the needs of these students.

The common youth allowance is one of the most important initiatives for young people that this country has seen for a very long time. It will ensure that the young people whose interests were betrayed by the Labor government and who were given the message by the Leader of the Opposition and those behind him that it was all right to drop out of school and go on the dole, even though that doomed many of those young people to long-term unemployment, will now get a positive message and positive opportunities to build their lives for the future.