Since early 2014 CAPA has been advocating for postgraduate concession Myki cards in Victoria. Victoria is the only state within Australia that does not have access to this basic need for postgraduate students. In 2015, we were proud to work with the Graduate Student Association (GSA) on establishing the Fares Fair PTV Coalition. A group of postgraduate representatives were invited to join the coalition and to establish a cross university platform to advocate for student travel concessions to extend to postgraduate students.
Postgraduate students in Victoria pay the most when it comes to public transport costs in Australia, coupled with fact that around 50% of full-time domestic graduate students have incomes below the poverty line. One in seven has an income below $10,000 and one in five full-time international students are on very low incomes which makes it almost impossible to balance work, university and external commitments.
We are a united voice and we will continuously push, advocate and lobby governments until the day we have postgraduate transport concession cards for all full-time domestic and international students.
We encourage students around Victoria to get involved with the Fares Fair PTV campaign. We plane to build our movement so that our voice is heard across the state.
“Victoria has sat in silence over the years regarding transport concession cards for postgraduate students. We stand united as a postgraduate body to ensure that the state government puts postgraduate issues at the forefront of their thinking and provides a basic student right for postgraduates” – Dylan Styles, CAPA Vice President National Operations Committee
How can you get Involved? Join a host of other Victorian Postgraduates by liking the Facebook group, share and attend rallies with your friends: facebook.com/FaresFairPTV