The Australian Greens will raise PhD stipends to the national minimum wage as part of their higher education policy launching in February.
Currently, PhD students live off stipends that are often below the poverty line, despite contributing to crucial research and innovation.
As part of the broader higher education policy package, the Greens will:
- Increase the full-time base Research Training Program annual stipend to the national minimum wage which is currently $47,626
- Expand paid parental leave to PhD students, regardless of employment status
As stated by Senator Mehreen Faruqi, Deputy Leader of the Australian Greens and Spokesperson for Higher Education:
"PhD students deserve so much better than being abandoned to the poverty line. This situation is unacceptable-raising RTP stipends to at least minimum wage and access to parental leave entitlements is long overdue, yet Labor refuses to act.
"It is a real indictment on our higher education system that PhD students are forced to skip meals, take up exhausting night jobs or rely on their partners' wages to be able to survive while doing their research. It's no wonder less and less people are enrolling to do a PhD.
"On top of such low stipends, PhD students are cruelly locked out of the government's Paid Parental Leave scheme, punishing those who dare to start a family. This is an outrageous oversight that exposes Labor's indifference to young researchers and future academics.
"The gendered impact of stipends cannot be ignored. Having started my PhD in my thirties with two young kids, I could not have completed it without the support of my husband.
"Not only are PhD students being put at risk by these poor conditions, but also the research, workforce and innovation future of Australia. Investment in PhD students is an investment in all of society.
"The Greens are committed to delivering positive change for students and researchers. We will keep fighting for PhD students to receive liveable stipends, parental leave, and the dignity they deserve."
