工党少数民族事务副发言人霍建强日前指出，高等教育部长斯蒂芬∙乔伊斯（Steven Joyce）正酝酿出笼的对学生贷款、学生津贴申请资格的改革将对新移民极为不利。
“鼓励新移民在新西兰社会人尽其用是非常重要的。如果他们被排斥于高等教育大门之外，或者面临极为严苛的学业表现评估，则上述目的就难以实现。”
霍建强说：“新居民两年内不可申请学生贷款的政策会特别影响到将来的亚裔学生与其他新移民。
“这方面政策的变化实在令人震惊。乔伊斯先生进行的这一番胡乱修补对那些本来在高等教育门槛前已经处于弱势的群体--- 新移民、年青的毛利裔和岛裔等---更是雪上加霜，” 他表示。
“它让你疑惑斯蒂芬∙乔伊斯和国家党政府的出发点到底是什么”，霍建强说。
霍建强还说乔伊斯先生酝酿中的改革已然引起争议，因为很多毛利裔和太平洋裔学生发现，在他们高校学习的低年级阶段要达到评估标准十分困难（即两年内要求通过一半以上的课程）。
“仅这一条就将对新西兰社会和我国未来的经济发展产生破坏性影响，”霍建强说。
“但是我预言，学生津贴等政策的改变对于那些想为新西兰的未来贡献全力的新移民之负面影响同样是毁灭性的。
“劳工部指出推行学生贷款、津贴领取的暂停期会严重影响定居效果，我认同他们的担忧，” 霍建强表示。
“无论如何我也想不通，还要怎样去限制技术经济时代的新移民为新西兰贡献全力。
“移民社区被这些政策变化都弄糊涂了，不过糊涂程度似乎还远不及乔伊斯先生本人。对学生贷款和津贴等政策的改变是既不符合逻辑、也没有理性的。”
15 July 2010 Media Statement
Student support changes will hurt new migrants
The half-baked reform of student loan and allowance eligibility initiated by Tertiary Education Minister Steven Joyce will adversely affect new migrants, says Labour Associate Ethnic Affairs spokesperson Raymond Huo.
“It is vitally important that new migrants are encouraged to play as full a role as possible in New Zealand society. That won’t happen if they are excluded from enrolling in tertiary education, or face unduly harsh performance measures,” Raymond Huo said.
“Would-be Asian students and other new migrants will be particularly affected by the two-year stand-down period for new residents accessing the student loan scheme.
“I find the changes absolutely astonishing. Mr Joyce’s tinkering will impact most severely on those who are already most disadvantaged in terms of gaining access to tertiary education --- those who are new residents in New Zealand and young Maori and Pacific people,” Raymond Huo said.
“It makes you wonder where Steven Joyce and the National Government is coming from,” Raymond Huo said.
Raymond Huo said Mr Joyce’s half-baked reforms were already controversial because many Maori and Pacific students will find it difficult meeting new performance standards (passing more than half the course in two years) in the early stages of their tertiary education.
“That alone will have a damaging impact on the way New Zealand society and our economy develops in the future,” Raymond Huo said.
“But I predict the changes will be equally devastating in terms of new migrants who want to contribute as fully as possible to New Zealand’s future.
“I share concerns that have been raised by the Labour Department about the stand-down period adversely affecting settlement outcomes,” Raymond Huo said.
“For the life of me I can’t understand how limiting the full participation of new migrants in a skilled economy is supposed to help New Zealand.
“The migrant community is confused by these changes, but nowhere near as confused as Mr Joyce seems to be. The changes are neither logical nor rational.”
Contact: Raymond Huo 029 200 1999.
