Prime Minister Anthony Albanese:
“Paid prac is already making a real difference — it’s helping students with cost of living while they train and that’s why we’re expanding it.
This is an investment in our future healthcare workforce. We need more of them and this will help more Australians get the qualifications our nation needs.
We’re backing Australians to get the education they need and this announcement builds on our reduction to student debt, free TAFE and tax cuts that put money back in people’s pockets.”
Minister for Health and Ageing Mark Butler:
“The Albanese Labor Government is strengthening Medicare by growing the health workforce Australians need.
Training a domestic health workforce is crucial to ensuring every Australian can access quality health care where and when they need it.
These are people who are going to look after us when we’re sick or old, helping women during childbirth, helping Australians living with disability.
This expansion means that if you’re training to be a pharmacist, physio or psychologist, you’ll also now have a bit of extra help to get through.
This will make a big difference for students doing placements in the bush who face extra costs when they’re training away from home.”
Minister for Education Jason Clare:
“Paid prac is working, that’s why we’re expanding it.
Paid prac helps to pay the bills, pay the rent and pay for things like petrol and parking.
Paid prac is making a difference now for students training for some of the most important jobs in our country.
We’re expanding paid prac so more front line health workers will get that cost-of-living help while they train.
This will help more students finish their qualifications and move into the jobs the country needs.”The government says the expansion will help more students complete qualifications and move into critical health and care roles, supporting a stronger Medicare.
