The Minister for Veterans’ Affairs, Alan Griffin, today announced 17 students studying in New South Wales and the ACT, all children of Vietnam veterans, would receive up to $9000 each in Australian Government funding to help them complete tertiary education. Mr Griffin said the Long Tan Bursary scheme helps the children of Vietnam veterans pursue tertiary education.

“The Long Tan Bursary scheme aims to help dedicated students achieve their long-term study goals by easing the financial cost of their tertiary study,” Mr Griffin said. “Fifty-six bursaries totalling more than $500,000 were awarded this year to tertiary students across the country. More than 300 sons and daughters of Vietnam veterans have now benefited from the Bursary scheme since it was introduced in 2000.”

Named after the Battle of Long Tan in which 18 Australians lost their lives, the bursaries are available for tertiary students, including mature age students, who have achieved good academic results and have overcome personal challenges to successfully complete their secondary education. “These students have proven their determination to pursue their studies and I congratulate them on their determination and perseverance to succeed in their chosen career paths,” Mr Griffin said.

“The Bursary recognises that children of Vietnam veterans can face health and wellbeing challenges due to their parent’s service and attempts to relieve these students of some financial burden so they can concentrate on completing their studies successfully. The Australian Government is also seeking to lift the aspirations of students who would previously never have considered university. As well as other reforms to student income support, the 2009-10 Budget introduced two new scholarships. The scholarships provide university students receiving financial assistance under the Veterans’ Children Education Scheme and the Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act Education and Training Scheme a start-up scholarship of $2254 a year. A relocation scholarship, worth $4000 in the first year and $1000 each year after will be available for those students who have to move away from home to study,” Mr Griffin said.

Long Tan Bursary recipients for New South Wales and the ACT*

· Sharonlee Cameron, Albury, Diploma of Clinical Hypnotherapy, Academy of Applied Hypnosis at Lindfield, Sydney.

· Kate Drummond, Albury, Bachelor of Nursing, Charles Sturt University, Albury.

· Sarah Gillam, Redhead, Bachelor of Arts, Newcastle University.

· Tyrone Holt, Mount Druitt, Diploma in IT (Multi Media), Western Institute of TAFE, Mount Druitt.

· Zakary Huggett-Wright, Jerrabomberra Heights, Advanced Diploma Computer Forensics, Canberra Institute of Technology.

· James Lindsay, Belmont, Bachelor of Science (Biological Science), University of Western Sydney.

· Chanelle Littler, Pappinbarra, Bachelor of Teaching, Bachelor of Early Childhood, Newcastle University.

· Jaxon O’Shea, Ariah Park, Bachelor of Civil Engineering, University of New South Wales.

· Natasha Palmer, Lithgow, Bachelor of Agricultural Management, Charles Sturt University, Orange.

· Lachlan Peattie, Blackmans Bay, Bachelor of Law/Bachelor of Economics, Australian National University, Canberra.

· Hugh Podmore, Double Bay, Bachelor of Commerce/Bachelor of Arts (Hons), University of New South Wales.

· Georgia Scherini, Ardlethan, Bachelor of Education (Primary), Charles Sturt University, Wagga.