Live: Labor to extend paid placements to pharmacy, clinical psychology students

Lead

The Australian federal government is expanding its paid work experience program to include students in 10 fields, providing financial assistance for mandatory placements. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will announce the expansion in a speech to open the Labor national conference on Thursday, according to reports from The Guardian and ABC Australia.

The program, also referred to as the Commonwealth's "paid prac" scheme, will now cover students in clinical psychology, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech pathology, paramedicine, radiography, pharmacy, rehabilitation therapies, audiology, and podiatry.

Coverage Comparison

Both The Guardian and ABC Australia reported the expansion, with The Guardian focusing on the announcement's context within the Labor national conference, while ABC Australia highlighted reactions from political figures.

The Guardian noted that Albanese's speech will cast "practical" policies as key to combating anxiety and frustration among voters. The same report detailed that the conference will also address party policy on gas export taxes and fuel tax credits, as well as a debate on the party's stance on Israel and Palestine.

ABC Australia's coverage included reactions from Independent MP Monique Ryan and Nationals frontbencher Bridget McKenzie, providing a bipartisan perspective on the policy.

Key Claims

• The federal government is expanding its paid work experience program to include students in 10 fields, including physiotherapy, speech pathology, and clinical psychology, who will receive financial assistance for mandatory placements, as reported by both The Guardian and ABC Australia.

• Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will announce the expansion in his speech to open the Labor national conference, according to both sources.

• The Labor national conference will discuss the party's policy agenda, including a commitment to increase taxes on gas exports and wind back fuel tax credits, as reported by The Guardian.

• Independent MP Monique Ryan supports the expansion and has called for it to extend to all students in the care sector, saying, "We can't have students living in their cars, missing meals or deferring their studies because they can't afford to undertake the studies to get the skills that we need them to have." This was reported by ABC Australia.

• Nationals frontbencher Bridget McKenzie expressed concern that the expansion could put pressure on inflation, stating, "My concern is that any solution the government puts on the table will actually make the problem of high inflation worse." This was reported by ABC Australia.

• The Labor national conference will feature a debate on the party's position on Israel and Palestine, as reported by The Guardian.

• A Students for Palestine protest is planned outside the conference, calling for a stop to arms trade with Israel, as reported by The Guardian.

Perspectives

• Monique Ryan (Independent MP): Supports the expansion and urges its extension to all care sector students, emphasizing the financial hardships students face.
• Bridget McKenzie (Nationals frontbencher): Concerned about inflationary pressures, arguing that government solutions could worsen high inflation.
• Anthony Albanese (Prime Minister): Expected to frame the expansion as a practical policy to address cost-of-living pressures and voter anxiety.
• Labor Party and Factions: The conference will debate party policy, including gas export taxes and fuel tax credits, with factional negotiations expected to avoid major disputes.
• Pro-Palestine and Pro-Israel Groups: Differ on the party's draft platform language regarding the Gaza war, with Jewish groups and Israel's embassy pushing for more critical language on Hamas, while pro-Palestine supporters seek stronger wording.