STATEMENTS BY SENATORS

Senator DARMANIN (Victoria—Deputy Government Whip in the Senate) (13:36): There aren't that many 21-year-olds who are following things in here that closely, perhaps apart from Senator Walker, who's 22. But my 21-year-old niece Maddy is a nurse, and she is super excited about the paid prac payments that our government has brought into this country. As you will have heard a few times in the chamber, we've talked about and celebrated the fact that the Albanese Labor government is expanding the Commonwealth paid prac payment to people training in additional frontline health professions, and that is because the healthcare workforce is so important to our country.

The government is expanding the paid prac payment to an additional round of eligible students studying courses such as clinical psychology, physiotherapy, speech pathology, radiography, pharmacy, audiology and podiatry. Nursing students, who I take a particular interest in because of my niece, are required to undertake a minimum of 400 hours of prac and up to 1,500 hours, which is equivalent to working almost 75 per cent of the year for free.

This payment is really important. For that commitment, many students have to give up paid work, and they do, and many have to move away from home. This payment makes a real difference to them not only so that they can survive while studying but so that they are encouraged to train, learn and be part of the healthcare system that we so desperately need and will continue to need into the future.

This paid prac provides financial support to help students while they undertake the training. As we know, it already covers eligible teachers, midwifery and social work degrees. For many students, being affected by placement poverty is something a barrier to studying these courses.

They are forced to choose between paying rent and completing mandatory qualifications, so I like to celebrate the paid prac payments.