.
How long should single parents receive welfare payments? Until their child is 16? That’s how it is now. Or until their child turns eight? That’s how it will be soon.
Raiding single parent payments might have been the last thing you’d expect from a Labor Government, but then, nothing about this Government has been exactly run-of-the-mill.
And so, balancing that delicate budget has come to this: removing the single parent pension from mothers or fathers who don’t work, once their youngest child turns eight. Currently, the payment allows single parents to receive $648.50 a fortnight until their youngest child is 16.
It’ll save Treasurer Wayne Swan some $700 million as he strips the budget bare, but how much will it cost families?
Undoubtedly there are those single parents who could work once their children hit school. Many do and have over the past years and decades. But sweeping changes like these – set to affect 100,000 single parents – inevitably punish some who genuinely have no other option. They get caught in the ‘tough love’ net of governments who never seem to be able to decide whether they’re buying votes or showing voters they can be harsh and economical.
Maybe these jobless parents really can’t find work. Maybe they can’t get to work because they live regionally and can’t afford a car. Or petrol.
Those who lose the parenting payment can, of course, jump on the dole (the Newstart Allowance) but they’ll end up with $118.70 less per fortnight which might not sound like a lot but when you’re already trying to make ends meet, it just drags those ends a little further apart.
The Government, for it’s part, has protected parents of children with special needs and disabilities from the new measure but has told us all the mums and dads in work will be great for the economy.
No doubt. But it might not be great for single parents.
What do you think, is this a reasonable move or is it going too far?
Comments
559 Comments so far
I think it stinks! I have just recently become a single mum with my youngest being over 8 and I am supposed to live on $140.00 per fortnight, yes I am working but that only pays the bills eg. rent, car, school, and after school care so we will eat on this measly amount but petrol well I don’t know how we will survive. What to do!
loading...
All these comments from single mum’s. Not one single Thank You to the people who are giving them and their children opportunities they are incapable of providing themselves.
On behalf the unappreciative single mums out there (I dont hear any single dads complaining, maybe because they had their children stolen from them already). “Thank you for your support. Because I’m certainly too useless to act like an adult and support my own children”
loading...
Both myself and my now fiancee were single parents working and supporting children. You do it because you have pride in being self reliant. You do it to teach your children morals and work ethic. Newstart provides greater motivation to get out there and do the right thing by your children and society. This is a positive change for parents, children and the economy and very long overdue.
loading...
I’m a 30 year old single Mum with a one and a half year old, I started studying when she was six months old so I could get a better job so I resigned from my workplace (now I wish I hadn’t) it did get rather hard with a clingy baby and financially because I paid my Mum to look after her and couldn’t get a rebate, plus fuel etc. I live in a smaller city and have my daughter on two waiting lists for childcare. so since then I’ve been at home. I worked all my life but don’t have a lot to show for it and it just seems to be getting harder and harder financially. I save what I can each fortnight but it usually gets spent on other things we need and my car really needs replacing since it’s costing me a fortune in fuel and it’s costing me a fortune in repairs. I’d love to work a couple of days a week, it would be very beneficial for me to get out of the house and be able to save without having to take back out of it all the time. I’m looking for work now but havn’t heard anything back yet. I hope to be working soon so hopefully I won’t have this problem in a few years but to be honest who’s really being punished by this change if a single parent can’t find work?? That’s a big price to pay when you’ve already been on benefits for so long. I can understand the need for something like this to happen but does it really have to be such a big cut?? That’s the difference between being able to survive and pay your rent, buy your food and clothing for your child. I don’t want to see Australia turn into a place like America where people die on the street if they haven’t got healthcare………it just feels like that’s where we’re heading. That’s not what Aussie’s are about!
loading...
Can I just say that no one is judging the single parents who work or have medical conditions, so untie the knots in your undies.
The predjudice is on those who can or could work but choose not to because it’s too hard or simply abuse the system.
I am the eldest child of such a person. She claimed a single parent pension while living with my father (they split up) and also with her current partner (who is on newstart).
Now, my mother can’t do too much physical stuff, she’s got some muscle disorder, but she can still walk and write and type and stand and what not. So she could have a light receptionist job or a casual position somewhere doing whatever. But she has never worked a day in her life. I’d like to add that the condition with her legs is better now than when I was a child – however I am only going by what I remember from when I was 15 because that’s the last time I saw her – we no longer communicate.
I have no respect for anyone who will lie and cheat their way through life, for any reason. I have no love for Centerlink and while I did gain some payments for 1 year, it was because I was forced to quit my job (thanks to my arrogant father). It wasn’t long after that I moved out of his house, continued my grade 12 studies, entered Uni, regained my job and quit centerlink as soon as I could.
Those payments made me feel dirty. I work full time now and god damn it I work my ass off. It makes me sick that I am paying for my own mother and her drug-addled boyfriend to live. May I add that not long after I moved out of her house at 15, she had another child to compensate for the loss of her payments for me. She also recently had another child and is 42. Sure she may want more children, but I bet the money isn’t a bad bonus either.
loading...
Also to clear something up I should have said that she does not do this anymore and that her previous failings have been rectified.
loading...
“you felt dirty”. Get over it. !!! I have paid thousands upon thousands of dollars in tax to our crappy government, Im 43 and have been working since i was 16 !!!. When i got retrenched from my job from the Attorney Generals offices, i claimed unemployment benefits for 4 months till i found my next job. I didnt feel dirty, i felt that i needed help now and it was my turn till i got employed again. No doubt i was contributing to your payments when you were recieving benefits. The system is there to help, yes some people definitely abuse it, but drop the halo about how dirty you felt, abit extreme.
loading...
My name is Rose Kelly My lover and I separated Last year September; I will agree I wasn’t true to myself and him. But I did all I could let her have a good life I did put all my energy into our little family as we have 2 beautiful kids. Because I worked as a waiter he didn’t really like that for a career, he thought I didn’t want to do well in my life. Last year as the harsh finance situation hit as we’ve been suffering with our finance for a while he decided to end our marriage. Which i was very devastated!! to lose the love of my life, but a month after separation i went to France for 10days to clear my head. when i got back he wanted me back but he didn’t want romantic side of it a month after xmas he told me again that he cant do it anymore as our finance was at lowest. Then we made a decision to end it to sort our lives out…but my prayer everyday for her to realize that i am not a loser all i wanted is to do what i could to put food on the table and roof over their head. since the second separation i am qualified football coach and fitness instructor and doing more toward my career but I don’t want to get into a relationship with another man when my love and I suffered all of this years when my career takes of he is not there to enjoy it with me. I really want him back in my life so i contacted this spell caster Dr gbojoro who now help me to bring him back, we now have a happy family together with my lover. If you want his help you reach him via email at gbojorotemple1@yahoo.com
loading...
My name is Cheney mark from florida. I never believed in love spells or
magic until i met this spell caster once when i went to Africa in
February this year on a business summit. I meant a man who’s name is
DR.EDOBOR he is really powerful and could help cast spells to bring
back one’s gone, lost, misbehaving lover and magic money spell or spell
for a good job or luck spell .I’m now happy & a living testimony cos
the man i had wanted to marry left me 3 weeks before our wedding and my
life was upside down cos our relationship has been on for 2years. I
really loved him, but his mother was against us and he had no good
paying job. So when i met this spell caster, i told him what happened
and explained the situation of things to him. At first i was undecided,
skeptical and doubtful, but i just gave it a try. And in 7 days when i
returned to Canada, my boyfriend (now husband) called me by himself and
came to me apologizing that everything had been settled with his mom
and family and he got a new job interview so we should get married. I
didn’t believe it cos the spell caster only asked for my name and my
boyfriends name and all i wanted him to do. Well we are happily married
now and we are expecting our little kid, and my husband also got the
new job and our lives became much better. His email is
edoborspelltemple@yahoo.com
loading...
Im a single parent of a 2 year old, im twenty and ive been studying fulltime since she was 6mths and i work 25hrs a week.
I dont understand why people arent willing to do something for 15 hours a week either study or work and i dont think you should wait until your child is in school to start, if you stay at home 24/7 with your kids until they are 8 (hard work i know) you are so unemployable. Doing a few hours of study or work isnt alot especially when it will better not only your childrens lives but yours! your kids wont be with you forever, then what?
loading...
It isn’t like we don’t want to work but trying be over 35 and look for work. Very little employers want a woman over that age to work for them because of the pay packets. At your age they don’t have to pay you as much as a person of my age. I have worked in the employment world years ago and know exactly the plot holes that employers use to say thanks but no thanks….
loading...
wow punishment for single mums …and our poloticians are getting over 200k annually prime minister 650k and opposition leader on 400k + its easy for them when they retire they still get paid for the rest of there lives half dont have kids and those who do have there kids set up for life …i am a single mother of 3 beautiful girls .i owned a contracting buisness til my divorce a few years ago and because my ex cheats on his taxes and puts down most of his yearly income of just clear of 85k year i was getting and still am only $106 per month for my kids i do part time work training horses on my property but get centrelink to help make up differences ..if it was my choice ide buy a property and create my own equestrian centre and never get centrelink again ..unfortunatly we dont all get what we want i love myself raising my children i dont want to pay for ome one else to raise my kids and after hours school care cost in sa now about $24 per hour til 6pm and after 6 pm each MINUTE u r over 6pm cost about $5 …concidering childcare school fees .petrol to from work rent /morgage food utilities. pretty much takes up all ur pay for eack week even just scrapping under ..so my point is unless u have kids and love them u do what ever u can to look after them.work or stay at home.he who has never taken charity cheated on taxes got an extention on ur repayments for ya car bills or house CAST THE FIRST BOLDER on and this is to the middle class not the rich who still noow steal off the poor…..anonymous…lol but the woman never asked the men to cheat and the men have half the genitalia to create the child men drop there pants all to much and woman have to clean up the mess left behind to give there children a good life..
loading...
i believe it should be stopped as the single mums are just taking it with ease, getting paid to do nothing while all the children are at school, and they are going for coffees with the other single mums, when they should be working to help, instead of relying on the hand outs and the dads to pay child support. It is about time some one made them stand up and be counted because the men didnt make the babies by them self
loading...
here here! theres no reason that they shouldnt start working or studying as soon as their kid starts school.
loading...
im a single mum to an 8 yr old son its not easy trying to find suitable hours during school time not to mention all the other jobs at home that needs to be done etc cooking cleanig washing & the cost of childcare,you can be worse off finically and if you child gets sick a lot like mine does who will be there to take care of that child i know after being up all nite with a very sick child i barely fuction the next day let alone go to work give us single mums a break as its one of the hardest jobs you will ever do.
loading...
I think you are confusing the single mums with the women in the coffee shops or ‘out having lunch with friends’ and can do so because they are lucky enough to be married to someone that makes enough money to support his family and wife’s spending. Im a single mum and let me tell you, I rarely and I mean ‘rarely’ go out for coffee or lunch with my friends and I don’t know of any single mum that does unless its a young mum who lives with her parents and her child/children and can afford to go out because they dont have to pay any rent or for groceries. Get your facts right next time.:)
loading...
Hi all…not sure but it seems that most comments are from single Mothers ( not being sexit here).
The problem I see is that if a guy has a good job and career he is highly favoured by women who dont, be moms or not.
A large problem for single moms is housing affordability, and there are many good men that have available government housing but unfortunately might not have jobs due to unforseen reasons.
Why is it that a lot of single moms want welfare and housing and have no disability yet think that only men with a job are worthy of them.
If women started to look at men with reality rather than a dating site shopping list, Im sure a lot more people would be happier.
loading...
@ unemployed
What are you on about? Good men,housing etc. You have totally lost me as I cant see the relevance of your comment on the issue at hand
loading...
What! so now all single mothers need to find a man do they? And what for may I ask
And why do you assume single mothers are looking for well off men? or any man pfft silly post full of hoohaa
loading...
For those who think they have the right to judge us “single parent pensioners bludging off the government” just remember some of you probably don’t have kids, and the ones that do are probably partnered and have the extra help from the other person. Oh whoops, did i just judge you? Oh shame on me! But a lot of you just judged me without knowing my situation either. Yes i am the dreaded “single parent pensioner” bludging and taking your hard earned cash, although i am not taking all of it because I WORK TOO!! I get 15 hours work a week and fully intend to return to full time work when my youngest starts school, a whole 2 years BEFORE i get cut off the single parent pension. i hope once i do this i will no longer need a centrelink benefit to shut you whingers up. And after being someone who has needed that extra assistance and ACTUALLY KNOW what it’s like to live the life of a single mum, i can guarantee i will not whinge when my taxes help out another single mum doing it on her own because I HAVE walked in her shoes!!
loading...
I totally agree not all sole parents are not working. I work shift work to support my 2 children and have done since they were very young. i have no family support and cannot expect others to look after my children while I am working so I have had to leave them alone, calling them many times a day to see if they are alright. How can anyone with a child of 8 be expected to leave them alone. Has the government read the family Law act regarding this. Where is there daycare at night or on weekends? Wasnt the parenting payment put in place to help raise our children until they are old enough to properly look after themselves? Why is’nt the government chasing the partners who learn every trick in the book not to support their own? Too all of you complaining about paying for sole parenting payments, start complaining to the right people , the ones who walk out without a shed of responsibilty leaving the other too do it all. Lay blame where blame is due!
loading...
Noones saying you should work if you have kids who arent old enough to enter school… theres before and after school care which lasts til about 7pm btw…. which is covered by the childcare rebate and as its only a few hours a day, doesnt cost much…
loading...
7pm i work until 11pm its of no use to me
loading...
@ anonymous HELLO KIDS NEED PARENTS TO BE PRESENT my kids are in bed at 7 not coming home at 7.
loading...
the, government needs to look more into the women that are also claiming single mothers pensions while having more than one child with same bloke,how can you keep having kids together while claiming you are single,
loading...
Noone said all single parents living on the dole dont work! if you are then good on you. theyre saying that those who dont, SHOULD!
loading...
nicely said i’ve been a single mum for nearly a year in October 2011 and i hate worrying about money and if i have enough money towards bills and studies I cant wait until i finish tafe at the end of this year so i can work fulltime..
loading...
Better to be a single mum than a single dad. You get no money and limited access to your kids. Your a very luck girl. I’ll swap with you any day and be grateful for it.
loading...
Here Here, I guess at the end of the day we can all be thankful that we are not starving in a third world country and that although we might be battling to pay our way here in Australia at least we are not battling to stay allive or watch our children starve to death or not have a warm bed or fresh water I think us Australians need to put things into perspective
loading...
I’d just like to say to all the single mothers, already on payments and already complaining about not getting enough money from the government, it is not ok to keep getting pregnant on “accident” and telling me that you’re doing your part for Australia!
Honestly is contraception that difficult to get your heads around, yes if you don’t take it you can get pregnant so don’t tell people that you “weren’t not trying to get pregnant” as this is literally a double negative and makes you look like an even bigger idiot.
And then taxpayers get the fun of paying for your contributions to society, who, by the way, is less likely to end up being contributing members of that society.
So no, I really don’t think you need special treatment up to their 16th birthday, but then a lot of people have found a way around that – have another kid!
- My apologies to those widows and single mothers who genuinely are trying to raise their one or two children and actually change their lives, they represent what welfare payments were intended for
loading...
Oh dear another kick in the face our poor politicians have just got a pay rise
loading...
I just need to say: to those who say “shut your legs” or “get off your bum” I say to you to keep your mouth shut and consider people like me who did not choose single partenhood. I did not choose single parenthood, but I can say 100% that my daughter is happier and more emotionally stable than if I had stayed where I was when she was born. I consider myself very lucky to be living in a county that has enabled me to be at home with her until she started school. I am now working 2 days per week and while that could be more, I am not “required” to work for another year when she turns 7, so maybe you should consider those people who are trying to do the best by their children. All my decisions have been to benefit my daughter and isn’t that what we should be concerned about….doing the best thing by the children of broken relationships!
As for those single mums out there looking for something that won’t make them worse off (and not just financially) there is hope. I recently secured a position that is barely above award, but the flexibility provided is worth so much more….there are employers out there who don’t discredit a single parents ability to make a worthwhile contribution and will do what they can to make it easier for you!
loading...
Seeing as you work, you arent included in the people being criticised…… get off your high horse. Staying home til your kids start school is standard and accepted.
loading...
Yes she is look at the comments “Shut yor legs” Lazy dole bludger” “children and sex are not a need” etc . when will people realize that single parents do not have a gift to see into the future. It is very easy to sit their an judge someone when you have never been put in that situation. Did anyone look at statistics on this, alot of single parents are in their 30-mid 40s they were married or partnered and yes decided to have a family like most people do. How could they possibly know that their partners would leave. Do people realize that many single mothers work already. Yes I am a single mum, lucky enough to not be on a pension, I raised two beautiful children alone for 12 years and still do. I missed a terrible amount of time with them as i worked weekends and nights to pay the bills and still do. I am happy that my taxes go to help these parents out just as my taxes could go to anyone of the people here who may lose their job and need help. what the Government should of done is saved money by getting owed child support and disolving the CSA which is a useless waste of money as they do nothing. So please stop and think if you were in a bind would you want people saying you deserve it, I think not. remember bad things can happen to anyone.
loading...
I think the argument is being lost here. Single mothers who get abandoned by men – i understand your position and believe its okay for the government to support you for the years leading up to your child entering school. The moment that child enters school, however, you should get a job and begin repaying your debt to society. SO many working parents would LOVE to stay home with their kids but dont get that opportunity as they simply can’t afford it, so I think it’s entirely unfair to think that single parents deserve this right, and for the Government to foot the bill.
The government does not owe them anything, Unfortunately, however, this is an attitude that many pathetic members of society seem to have. That they are entitled or deserving of Government assistance despite never having earnt anything themselves.
All of the single parents I know living off the Government recieve at LEAST $30,000 per year in just centrelink fortnightly payments. For the Government to support you for the 7 years to raise a child, the ends up being $210,000 That does not include any of the benefits or lump sums. in addition these people don’t pay anything at all for health/dental care & recieve electricity rebates.
loading...
How do you know that us single mothers have never worked. I have always worked. I left a violent relationship and have worked part time ever since. The newstart payment is 12,000. Im sure your income is above that. I recieved $7 a week in child support. I will not make 20,000 in the next financial year thanks to my son turning 8 how terrible of him!
Yes I do think as a rich country we should support people less fortunate. It is the family assistance that needs to be cut so it discourages people to breed and get the baby bonus.
These budget changes will hurt the working single mums the most.
I am looking for fulltime work now and there isnt any. Yes some single mothers have never worked and thanks to these budget cuts never will. They will just go and breed some more to stop centrelink obligations and money cuts and my family will be homeless
loading...
Noone said that all single mothers have never worked…
loading...
since my tax dollars pay for this and it is a democracy, i do have a right to say what i think. why is it only judgemental when it doesn’t agree with single parents?
I really don’t understand why i should be forced to pay to raise your kids for 16 years or even 8? why is that my responsibility?
i paid to raise my kids and i worked. i didn’t expect a handout from the government to raise them.
it is one thing if you don’t have a skill or are truly disabled but it is so easy these days to get a certificate and a job.
someone complained about having a crap $20 an hour job well that is surely better than taking my $20 that i worked hard for.
i am sure there are some mothers who really are raising children but i know far too many who just let the tv babysit for them while they lay about in bed most of the day and then they pawn them off on anyone who will watch them or they let them tear up the house while they are online facebooking all day or out partying. why should i have to pay for these lazy slugs?
and the thing is these women have skills but would rather have their sit down money than go get a job.
before you bash my opinion, answer me why am i supposed to pay for your kids when you are capable of working?
loading...
Omg you are paying for our kids are you? Really? what a load you have on your shoulders. Do you know that you also pay for the CSA and their useless commitment to chasing deadbeat parents take it out on the deadbeats not the ones left behind doing the right thing. And when you get old dont expect your butt wiped and to be looked after because you too could be a burden
loading...
YOU SHOULD SHUT YA MOUTH YOURSELF, YOU HAVE NO RIGHT TO SAY SHUT YOUR LEGS TO ANYONE THERE ARE DIFFERENT CIRCUMSTANCES DIFFERENT NEEDS BY EVERYONE..IF YOU DONT KNOW WHAT ITS LIKE TO BE POOR OR EVEN HAVE A CHILD WITH A DISABILITY OR BEEN ABUSES BY YOUR HUSBAND OR BOYFRIEND OR JUST PLAINLY CANNOT OFFORD TO LIVE THE WAY SOME CAN.
loading...
Grammar wasn’t your strong point was it?
That was the most nonsensical post I’ve seen in a long time.
loading...
Lol well if you were better educated you would make sense of the post instesd of judgemental stuiped comments!!
loading...
Babies and sex are not a need, they are a choice
you uneducated, pathetic, dole-bludging loser. I live off $260 per week so dont suggest I don’t know what it’s like not to have money. Single mothers get at least twice that amount. Disabled children are the only exception. As a previous abuse victim, I can safely say that I do know what it’s like and it doesn’t mean you can’t work for long periods of time. 
If you don’t think you have skills for work then get an education instead, dont worry, the government won’t cut off your dole if you go back to TAFE.
loading...
Hello to the general public,
My name is Mrs Toian Tibali from Houston,Texas. I never believed in love spells or magic until i meant this spell caster once when I went to Africa in June last year on a business summit I meant this spell caster he is powerful he could help you cast. a spells to bring back Your misbehaving lover He can bring back lost money and magic money spell or spell for a good job.I’m now happy & a living testimony because the man I had wanted to marry left me 3weeks before our wedding and my life was upside down because our relationship has been on for 2 years I really loved him, but his mother was against me and he had no good paying job so when I meant this spell caster, I told him what happened and explained the situation of things to him at first I was undecided, skeptical and doubtful, but I just gave it a try and in 3 days when I returned to Texas my boyfriend (now my husband) he called me by himself and came to me apologizing that everything had been settled with his mum and family and he got a new job interview so we should get married. I was surprised because the spell caster only asked for my name and my boyfriends name and all I wanted him to make things normal in my relationship.so a month after me and my husband got married and every thing really came back to it normally as i told the spell caster as i am sharing this testimony now i am already 7months pregnant for my husband am so happy because our problems just turned around like a magic it was like a dream to me that every thing just turned out to be normal am so happy because i do not know how to explain it i just can not thank the great spell caster he really turned every thing around for us a very big thanks to you sir for the great help you rendered to us me and my husband are so happy together now words can not expressed my thanking to the great spell caster so after then i called him that i want to send him some money for showing my deep appreciation towards the help he rendered to me because i never believe at first that the great spell caster can help me i never believe at all that is why it was all like a dream to me when things returned to it normally when i wanted sending money he said no that he did not work for me because of money and that i should keep it that the only thing he would want me to do for him is for me to help him share to the general public about his good work and i quickly said okay that i will lovely do that so my friends if you know that you are passing through any kind of problem do not die in silence am making every thing simple for you now by sharing about what this great spell caster done for me do not fall on the wrong spell caster because there are allot of them on internet that are not really you should be happy am giving you this secret now contact today for quick solution here is the contact email address contact (solutionhome39@yahoo.com)or cell number +2347053375151,the prophet is a very busy man the quickest way to contact him is through phone just text him, contact him for help why i believed him is that his words are just final.. Sir i want to say a very big thanks to you am so happy and grate full for the help you rendered to me thank you sir and i promised to keep telling people about your good work thanks you sir..
loading...
I wish people would realise that children are NOT a burden. You want kids, you should pay for them, not the freakin government! If you dont want to pay for your own kids, shut your fricken legs!
loading...
“shut your frickin legs!”….so only women are single parents? What about those of us who did it all “the right” way, only to be left by deadbeat husbands? If I get a full time job and put my son into day care, there is no possible way I could then pay for rent for the two of us. I would love to able to work nights after my son goes to sleep, but not all of use are blessed with family and friends willing to help out. Your comment comes from naivety and prejudice.
Of course my child is not a burden, but the rising cost of living means that I need all the help I can get. I spend my extra time studying as hard as I can so at some point I can make a decent living.
loading...
Your welfare is not at risk, and I am a massive supporter of studying. You contribute to society by studying and working hard, youre not one of those pathetic people that plans on living on welfare and in public housing for the rest of your life.
loading...
Lol wish I had your crystal ball so that I could of seen that after 20 yrs of marriage that my husband was going to run off with his young Thai girl leaving me alone to raise my children. You must be on a pension if your only living on $260.00 bet my taxes go to that! yes single parents may get double that but thats for 3 ppl not just one. Maybe you would be so kind as to do a budget for us all? Pls remember to include rent, food , bills, medical bills, education clothing etc for 3 not one. FOOL
loading...
you dont pay for medical bills or education lol
loading...
Have you escaped from a mental asylum ? You need education and anger managent.
loading...
I work casual every weekend. I’m wondering what happens if I’m not able to work. I earn around 580 per week before tax,and have to declare it what happens now the allowable amount of earning is reduced to $62 per fortnight. Once I earn a certain amount for a certain time I’ll be cut off all centrelink payments how do I survive if I don’t work for a week or there is no work. I’m luckier then most my kids are 10 and 12 and capable of looking after themselves. But they go to school all week and I’m gone all weekend so time with them is rare.Medical insurance is going to be hard I’m 53 so the premiums are some much plus and extra 46% on top of that because I am older.Going back to work has made it easier but now I’m not sure how I’m going to go
loading...
I’m in the same position as you, i have worked since I became a single parent.
i work 6 days a week including weekends , I have no family to support me either. i will also be totally cut off as i will earn 20 dollars over the allowable amount now that it is reduced to 62 dollars. I.m so depressed and worried and the stuiped thing is that i would be finacially better off just giving up work. I am so appalled by some of the negative comments on here especially the people who say why should i pay taxes, well i have paid taxes too so i guess i have paid for myself and my children over the years. The worst part is that i only have just heard about this today 22/6/12 as i am so busy working I don;t get to see the news . IF i had not accidently come accross the issue i would of just recieved a letter from centrelink in September notifying me giving me only 12 weeks to find an answer. nice xmas for my kids this year! really don’t know what we are supposed to do if the allowable rate wasnt reduced it wouldnt be so bad but to be reduced to a point where you lose everything while your kids still need everything is just cruel.
loading...
This article is misleading enough to seem a like an anti Labor stretch of the truth. Howard’s govt brought in this change, but grandfathered it.
Those of us who have worked more than 12 weeks put together since 2006, have lost access to grandfather clause anyway.
And yes, this policy sux! I stayed trapped in an abusive and degrading job for years, due to fear of being destitute. When I finally reached the point of suicidal depression, I quit anyway. Centrelink refused me the newstart allowance because I had quit my job. They didn’t care that we were homeless, that I had a child to feed. I appealed, and lost the appeal because they rang my exboss, who denied the abuse! I survived by maxing out credit cards and couch surfing for the 3 months it took me to find another job.
This is not social security, but everyone hates Labor so much these days, y’all are gonna vote in Abbott, who plans to get rid of even the low amount of social security we have left, including banning newstart for everyone under 30 years old, reducing age of parenting pension to 6 years old, and so on.
I’m not happy with Labor getting rid of the grandfather clause for those few left on the old system, but be very careful of throwing the baby out with the bath water.
loading...
I am absolutely ashamed at the Australian Businesses with the lack of support for mothers or fathers returning to the work force. In my position I need a job that will not make me work late nights or weekends and that will have enough hours during school hours to cover the costs of day care and actually come out on top in the end of the week. I was currently getting 10 hours a week at a store but I was not even making enough to cover my day care. So many job interviews I have done in the past few months and when it came down to availability I was told NO! I am quite qualified but the support from businesses are all for the childless and young people.
I am now taking this into my own hands and starting my own business which I am hoping one day I will be able to employ people in my position!
SO i think that alot of situations do come down to the fact that Single parents really cannot find work! There should be more help out there!
loading...
I am a single mother on the grandfathered parenting payment. I have worked part time since my child turned one. I have held a casual job for the past 3 years with promises of permanent part time work but as soon as a younger single employee comes along , they are given the permanent position and they keep me as a casual so at times I get plenty of work and others nothing for weeks at a time. I have applied to other jobs but have been rejected, I believe it’s because I am unable to work weekends as I don’t have anyone to look after my child . A transfer from parenting payment to Newstart would mean almost $120 a f/t less for me plus I will lose discounts I receive on car rego, council rates, electricity and discounts to theme parks and movies , something that even with the discount is a luxury and a treat for my child. I will have to change my child’s school to a state school ( currently attends a private school that I can only afford because I get a concession). I may even lose my house that I have worked so hard for to keep. I really don’t know what I am going to do if I cant meet the minimum 30hrs a fortnight participation requirements. I am so stressed over this decision, I am constantly in tears and have never felt more alone .
loading...
Tracey, I know how you feel, I’ve been crying on and off feeling sick. I can’t even pickup a couple of hours a week, there just isn’t any work here. I’m on the grandfathered parenting payment as well, it’s not fair to suddenly have our lives turned upside down. We would all have commitments and to throw this at us just isn’t right, I was feeling a bit secure for awhile without worrying about how I was going to pay bills not to mention buying clothes etc for my daughter…Now, I have no idea what I am going to do.. Hugs to you x o
loading...
Yes, I hear you Tracy. I work casually as a motel cleaner. Have not been able to get more work due to not being available weekends. These changes mean losing hundreds of dollars a month . I reciceve $7 a week from my boys father ( I have 2 boys) I can not get social housing as I am now on newstart ( since my son turned 7 in Jan) I feel totally alone and fear for my boys future. Where are we going to live ? Where are all these jobs coming from? What about childcare? Why cant a parent get a parenting payment?? A drug addict can get disability. I am already working going to jobnetwork and fufilling my centrelink obligations so why less money??? How does that help us get a job?? To all you hard working strong single mums please raise your concerns, talk to the media, politicians, charties, anybody. We are not all welfare baby making bludgers and these new budget rules will just make those type have more babies costing the tax payer more in the long run! Not to mention the cost to society . Someone in the real world needs to speak up. Good luck xx
loading...
I am A single parent with 2 boys aged 8 and 7. I am currently on the single parent pension, my 8 year old has leukaemia and I am not eligible for the carer’s payment. Going back to work is o.k but every parent has their different circumstances. The budget included an increase in family tax benefit A didn’t they ?.
loading...
But wasn’t it already like this? I lost my job last year and wasn’t eligible for parenting payment and had to go on Newstart. My son was 9-10 at the time. It’s only if you are already on it that it continues after they’re 6 or thereabouts. Then as a friend commented, try getting decent part-time work as a single parent – nearly bloody impossible.
loading...
Single parents are people! People!!!!!!!
I am amazed at how many people still feel they have the right to condemn a person for being a single parent. Certainly, as with many “categories” of stereotypes, there will always be a minority who seek to take advantage f a welfare system. But for each of those is probably hundreds more who are too busy to read this shit because they are trying to make ends meet.
We live in a Democratic society, welfare is the responsibility of everyone who is able to contribute. There are other ways in which we can contribute, for example staying home to provide a stable environment for children ( works for some) for others it is working to try provide that elusive financial stability we all desire. Others again it is studying to make a better life for both parent and child.
There is so much more money to be gleaned from other areas of the Budget. If they can save an estimated 5 billion from shelving Defence procurement plans……… I really wonder where it is all going.
loading...
Im a sole parent with three children, 2 are at home, through the death of my partner almost 9 years ago. I left our home town and community housing as I couldnt get a job there and relocated to the upper hunter, costing me a small fortune. All to better my chances to finding a good secure job. In doing this the cost of my rent has risen as I now have no protection from the government and found a job in desperate measures to be ripped off from the company. In doing this job, I had to put my youngest daughter in before and after school care and vacation care while on school holidays to continue to work, Recently I have had to give away the position as the job took me away from home 9 hours aday to be paid for only 4 to 5 of them. It just was not worth it anymore for my childrens sake. Now the government wants to punish us mothers who are trying to get out there and do the right thing by ourselves, and our children and leave us struggling to do so.
loading...
My personal perspective:
I was brought up on welfare in the 80s and 90s. Our mum became a single mum after having to leave an abusive marriage. When I, the youngest child, turned 16 Mum went off the pension. She’d started studying for her HSC so received Austudy but it was a lot less.
Even though we’d been poor on the pension we were so much poorer with Mum on Austudy: she no longer received rent assistance, no more pensioner discount on bills and car rego, no pension bus fares, etc. That year was very tough financially. Mum had always been careful with her money but now it was so much harder: we only had a call in phone, we were not allowed to leave lights on when we weren’t in the room, and we could only use cold water in the washing machine. We had to lose our car: (a Torana!) because she couldn’t afford the registration.
In those days you could trade in a portion or all of your Centrelink payment to receive double that amount and then owe the government that double amount (kind of like HECS where if you reached a certain income you would need to pay to pay a % back), and that’s what she had to do so she could pay the rent and bills each week.
At the end of that year her father died and left her $20,000: a fortune to us, and this made all the difference. Each week she took money out to supplement her Austudy. It also meant she could think about going to uni, a dream she’d held for many years. The year she started her BA she became eligible for the disability pension due to her health problems so was able to get rent assistance, pensioner discounts, etc again.
At that time my brother and I were over 18 and receiving our own Austudy that we paid her board out of (which didn’t add up to what it cost her to feed us and put a roof over our heads) so out of her single disability pension she was still supporting us financially. Perhaps a different parent would have told us to get a job or something to help out but Mum wanted us to study and go to uni, something that had taken her until her 50s to be able to achieve it.
When I finished uni I went from Austudy to Newstart for a period until I got a job. Newstart was almost double my Austudy, and I told Mum I was going to pay for half of everything now: rent, bills, groceries: I could afford to pay my own way, she didn’t need to use her pension to support me anymore. Her gratitude humbled me. I wished I’d done something sooner.
I’ve worked the last 9 years since finishing uni and I was able to help my mum out in many ways: like pay off her credit card debt, pay for our rental bond, buy us a new computer, and pay for us to travel interstate for my brothers wedding. My beautiful mum remained on the pension until she passed away.
I now have a comfortable income where I don’t have to worry about clothes and food and heating bills like our Mum had to every day with us. Although I’m no longer eligible for the ‘low income tax offset’ I am still super thrifty and careful with my money, a legacy of the childhood and upbringing we had.
I feel that we do need a strong welfare system in Australia to support and help those who need it. I’m thankful that Mum was able to receive the single parent pension to bring us up, something that was only introduced in the 1970s. The increases to the Age/Disability pensions in the last few years have been significant but there still remains a marked disparity between Newstart and the Pension which needs addressing.
loading...
You are one special and beautiful daughter and person.
I have raised my kids on my own, after kicking out an abusive husband/father to my kids. 2 of my kids have disabilities.
I know my kids adore me and express the gratitude you have discussed here regarding your gorgeous mum.
Life can be very challenging for those who don’t choose to become a single mother. I chose instead to protect my children and to do so was to go it alone (without an abuser). And, yes, I need some government assistance to achieve this extremely important task (of love for my children).
I do not feel guilty for accepting some financial assistance from the government. I too have done a degree in my ‘latter’ years and worked where I can to better myself and my family. But there are still people out there who hear the words “single mother” and presume you must be some low life who chose to sponge of the tax payers. Oh, I also paid mountains of tax many years ago and gladly hoped that my taxes were helping those who really needed assistance to survive, love and care for the children who may have been deserted, abused or otherwise treated poorly by someone does not share the same sense of parental responsibility and respect for the human rights and dignity of their offspring.
(I do sound bitter and twisted here, don’t I? But I’m not. I am just passionate about social justice).
loading...
Your story is almost the same as mine.
There is no way I’d be in the position I’m now in if my Mum hadn’t put her children first and left. She wouldn’t have been able to do that without government assistance.
loading...
After reading heaps of comments on here I’m thinking best way forward is to marry a RICH man so yr no longer single!
LOL (joking of course!!!!!)
Seriously though, what is a homeschooling parent supposed to do in this situation if we are single???? Surely the govt can’t demand we send our children to school rather than continue to homeschool them?!?!?! :O My children’s education is far more important than me being in the workforce. I’d much rather homeschool my kids than send them to school and have them raised and educated by someone else! If I’ve chosen to sacrifice my career and put that aside for the next 20+ years, to homeshool my children, I should be allowed to do that. I’m not asking for or expecting hand outs or “free money” as one person called it. All I want is recognition that “one size” does not fit all. There are single parents out there who don’t fit the mould the govt is talking about. I planned to homeschool all of my children til they graduated high school.
How do I find out about this? Phone centrelink?
loading...
You will need to become a registered homeschooler in your state (if you’re not already) to be exempt from having to work or study. Keep in mind though that you’ll most likely have to push Centrelink to give you this exemption because many people unfortunately register for the wrong reasons. There was a press release issued by the Government in 2005 about homeschooling and other exemptions ahead of the 2006 changes. You can read it here http://www.home-ed.vic.edu.au/2008/03/25/centrelink-parenting-payments-all-states/
Hopefully that helps a bit
loading...
Seems unfair.
What about parents who can’t work because they have an illness/disability?
What about parents who homeschool their kids? That’s a full time job in and of itself!! Are homeschooling parents expected to work full time as well as raising and schooling their children full time as well?
Geez, how about the bloody govt step into our shoes for a moment.
Pffft!
loading...
Parents with a disability would be on DSP and those who homeschool would be exempt from having to work or study provided they’re a registered homeschooler. See the link I posted above if you’d like more info
loading...
This is plain wrong!
John Howard changed the laws back in 2006 & lowered the age at which the sole parent pension would cut off from child turning 16 – to child entering school / turning 8 whichever occurs first.
However … those already on the pension would have their rights to receive the pension till their child turned 16 PROTECTED!!
This is not what I call ‘protection.’
loading...
Reading over the posts I’ve made in here, I just want to apologise for how lengthy they are. This was a very emotional and tough issue for me when I was dealing with PPS clients back in ’06 so this has dredged all of that back up and I guess I’m just hoping to offer some reassurance that there is a lot of support available to those who will be affected this time around. There is so much assistance on offer for single parents that people usually don’t find out about until they meet with their provider because it falls outside of Centrelink’s umbrella. So I’d again encourage anyone who is fearful as to what this change means – or even newer PPS clients not referred to in this article but who are still worried about transitioning into work or study when the time comes – to please contact Centrelink and ask them to make a referral for you to an ESP if you don’t already have one so you can find out what’s available to help ease your mind a bit. The two stories I’ve read in here about the women in uni who didn’t even find out about the JET program until they were in their 3rd year of schooling breaks my heart.
loading...
what’s ESP?
loading...
It’s an Employment Services Provider ie Mission Australia, IPA, Sarina Russo and a host of others. That’s who a single parent will be connected with by Centrelink when they reach mandatory participation but they also have the option of accessing those services and support at any point before then. Their sole goal is to facilitate transition into employment or study whether that’s just polishing up resumes, contacting employers on your behalf and providing financial help with interview clothes and petrol or starting from square one and getting someone into training, teaching computer skills and working on the emotional barriers that some may have at the thought of returning to work. There really is an immense amount of help available.
loading...
mission australia are dam hopeless they hardly find you any jobs send out appointments that are unsuitable as you have to pick up your child from school,you have got more of a chance getting a job if you look at home online yourself,gee maybe we should ask for a job at mission australia you barely have to do anything.
loading...
I understand how you feel. I have a ten year old girl. Come live with me and I will help you. I have no relatives either and have friends but they don’t do childcare. Everyone is busy working or doing their own thing. Joining a church group has helped me so much deal with any fears of struggling. I place my trust elsewhere and its not in the government! I will pray for you and your little girl tonight. Don’t take any notice of the negative people on this website and let them bring you down. There are nice people whom care about the children of this country even though a few others and especially the government don’t!
loading...
Thanks Megan, it’s nice to know there are people out there that can relate and care. It’s all the kids I worry about, they are the future of Australia.
loading...
I would gladly work if I could find a job within school hours, not much work available living in a small country town. Can’t do night work, weekend work ,what am I to do, no father of my child around, no grandparents, no close friends, no relatives, just my child and myself. I’m really worried and feel sick as to how I am going to look after my little girl.
loading...
I understand completely as I’m in your exact situation as far as no support from family or friends. I’m lucky in that I work full time from home but that’s not the reality or even a possibility for most people and I realise that. And to be honest, I often think this just further adds to my isolation in many ways so I’m not sure how actually good my arrangement is at times.
Have you been linked with a Job Network by Centrelink yet? One aspect that many parents don’t realise is that those providers are paid based on ‘successful outcomes’ with their clients. They get a tiny fee just for the Centrelink referral but they only stay in business – and the Government only allows them to – if they can place enough people into sustained employment or study. As a result, these providers will move Heaven and Earth to make sure you find a successful solution that works for your family – not just a temporary one because they don’t get paid for that. They have financial grants available to employers – often times covering your entire wage for either 13 or 26 weeks or covering the cost of increasing your hours to the required 30 a fortnight. These grants are to make employers be flexible with their hours and tailor them to each parent’s circumstance as much as possible. And some parents prefer to bang those 30 hours out in one week with either work, study or both so basically they do one week on, one week off as Centrelink doesn’t care how you reach that total each fortnight, just that you do when those 14 days are up. Plus there are a heap of other programs and financial assistance available to parents as well that most aren’t aware of until they start meeting with their provider because these are offerings that fall outside of Centrelink’s scope.
My advice to anyone who truly feels at a loss as to what to do – especially those in regional areas and/or may need a bit more of support – is to call Centrelink and tell them to refer you to a provider even if you’re not being ‘forced to’ yet. Going for that initial appointment and just hearing about what support is offered can do wonders for you by giving you reassurance that you’re not being forgotten or left in the cold and more importantly some hope that it’s going to be ok. You might decide that you’d prefer to wait until your child turns 6 or 7 when you have to do this to receive PPS but at least you’ll know what’s available and might get your mind rolling with ideas as to what it is you want to pursue when the time comes.
Good luck Single mum… I truly mean that. xo
loading...
Hi Beans, thanks for your post and the advice. I actually am registred with a provider and have an appointment today, I started looking for work when my little started school, as yet no luck. Unfortunately living in the country it’s a case of who you know not what you know, but I won’t give up. Thanks again
loading...
Unfortunately this will encourage single mothers to go out and reproduce with the butcher, baker, candlestick maker… Anything to get more government assistance, and for the record I am not a troll…
loading...
What an outrageous comment.
I have been a sole parent for 14 years, 8 weeks of finishing my 2nd post graduate degree, have two part time jobs and a brilliant son who is happy, healthy and excelling at school beyond what I could hope for.
I have no intention of hooking up with a butcher, baker or candlestick maker (not that I have anything against them), I just don’t have the time.
Perhaps you are not a troll…but your comment is dark and ungracious.
loading...
Unfortunaltely Mia is right in some instances. There is a subset of single mothers who had their first child at 17 (or younger), didn’t bother spending much time at school, has never worked, & will just have another baby to continue receiving the benefits – and get another baby bonus to go on with.
There are also many more who are working, or at uni & intending to work, some of whom have been left with the child, some of whom decided to have a child alone – they’re not the ones the goverment is targeting and it probably won’t affect them anyway.
loading...
The comment isn’t outrageous because the poster was speaking about a small minority. Some people abuse the welfare system. There are women out there having child after child for the baby bonus and payments that come afterwards.
These women will just make sure they have another child every eight years to make sure they not required to work.
Please note this applies to a SMALL minority of people, most single parents work VERY hard for their children. However if the government is trying to stop welfare abuse, this isn’t the right way to do it
loading...
Gosh I gotta be honest but the idea of having a kid every 8 years JUST to avoid having to work seems crazy. Having a kid IS work!!! and largely underpaid at that. I remember the days of working and not having children and those days were much richer from a financial viewpoint. Anyone who has children for the ‘financial benefit’ hasn’t done their homework!
loading...
Having a child is as much work as you want to put in. People who reproduce to get government benefits don’t have quality parenting at the top of their priority list. Unfortunately for the majority of single parents, they are the ones all single parents are judged by.
loading...
Yes, we called those people “Lance Armstrongs”. The parents, both sexes, who would have no problem telling us their strategies for ensuring they’d remain on PPS for many many years. It’s one of several reasons I finally left that industry. I’d have 20 parents come in, completely sorted in every way – already working or studying and just needing PPS as a top up. Sometimes they’d need help with petrol/train tickets, maybe they’d want to do an extra course or just need a few more outfits or uniforms for work. Great – we can pay for all of that for you! Then 10 more parents who needed help re-entering (or entering the workforce for the first time ever) and were open to every suggestion even if they needed a lot of training and support to make it happen. Excellent – let’s bust our butts together and find something that you’re comfortable with and that works for you and your family!
And then you’d get the 2 or 3 Lance’s a day. For whatever reason they would make me feel like all the other work we were doing was all for naught.
loading...
Sorry there are women & young girls that do play the system & play it well.
loading...
And your evidence for this is……???
Also, how about stepping up and levelling some criticism of the butcher, baker and candlestick maker – they could always use condoms to avoid this sort of entrapment ? Or is this too simplistic, silly me. Men are led by their penises and incapable of thinking about contraception when snared by these manipulating vixens.
loading...
Manipulating vixens., yep plenty of them around, just look around in low social economic areas and you will find plenty of them, single woman, with offspring to men, various men, some men they couldnt even name. ..
loading...
I disagree.
I think most single parents have more maturity and brains than that.
loading...
Single parents can’t win. You either get a job and work then get blasted and judged for not being there for your kids. Or stay at home and parent and get blasted and judged for bludging.
I’ve been both partnered and single parent and to every single one that has compared their partnered life to single parenting I suggest you try it. For a month. Go on. It’s great fun to have to keep working and parenting your small children when you get sick and there’s no one to look after you. Where EVERY SINGLE chore has to be done by you and you alone. For the tiny minority of single mums that choose it as a life style I say good luck to them. It isn’t fun. Maybe more effort should be put into finding those that are abusing the system by lying about their circumstances. Cutting those people out of the system would save the money the government is looking for. But for most, for the tiny amount of money and hoops that need to be jumped through, it isn’t something ANYONE would voluntarily choose.
Yes, single parents should- and for the most part do- work. But the elephant in the room is, does parenting itself count as work? Whether you are single or not, stay at home or not.
loading...
That is so sad – when your child is 8 you still want to be able to take them to school and pick them up, and it’s not easy to find a job with working hours from 9 til 2.30. Bloody Julia. (I am luckily not a single parent but just feeling some empathy for anyone that is.)
loading...
They get A LOT of assistance with before and after school childcare. they dont have to finish at that time. They also get free training to help them get back into the workforce. I think it SHOULD be this way. I had a loser father so my 3 older siblings and i were supported entirely by mother working (a crappy $20 p/h job, too!) but cos he refused to sign divorce papers or admit he wasnt living with us, my mum got absolutely zero assistance and we were supported entirely by her paycheck. Once the oldest kid is 12, if the youngest is school age, they are capable of babysitting for a few hours anyway. We were never put in day care or before/after school care cos it wasnt realistic. When my siblings were teenagers my mother started working nights instead to cover the increased costs of living. We grew up in a good area and mum even had private health cover. Having a child is a CHOICE, i wish parents would stop thinking of it as a burden and that because theyre single they are somehow entitled to free money. I think in order to recieve payments, people should have to contribute to society in some way, whether it be volunteer work or community work or something, they just expect to lie back and do whatever they want.
Not only does the payment list not include rent assistance (an extra $120), but it doesnt list the fact that for each additional child someone has, they recieve even more money. A single mother with 2 kids actually lives on roughly $1150, gets completely free health care, ridiculously cheap childcare, transport and even gets electricity rebates. Theyre about to recieve $400 for each primary child they have and $800 for each high school to cover education costs. The carbon tax now means theyre about to get a big payout. They get a “tax refund” every year of $1000 and i know a woman who said she gets random payments all the time of a few thousand dollars but doesnt even know why she gets them! Parents are more than capable of working part time if their kids are in school, UNLESS there is something wrong with the child, but the government has made allowances for those people.
loading...
What if your. Hidden had learning disabilities and the local centers precluded your children from their books? What if as a mother or father you wanted to be home for your children to care for them….. As many parents do? What if your partner had an addiction that caused you to lose EVERYTHING you ever had, your house, car, dignity….. What if you are already at capacity trying to make ends meet and still struggling? Health care isnfree rally health care,bthe waiting periods are ridiculous and ingrained condemnation from other people is humiliating. For shame those people who make judgements. Please understand that the figures being bandied around barely meet basic costs of living, in fact barely even cover rent in a lower socio economic suburb in Perth.
You need to walk a mile in the shoes of a single parent or carer and eat some humble pie. I’d like to see what sort of volunteer work and community service you provide. And if you judge those around you who are less fortunate, it really isn’t service at all.
loading...
Ive never witnessed judgement over using free healthcare as its pretty standard in Australia. You want to stay home with your children, i understand that, but you cant expect a free ride! you have to save up for children well in advance if you want to have the luxury of staying home with them. At age 8, they dont need you that much. They do very much so meet the basic costs of living, so dont even bother.
Believe it or not I actually tutor refugee children (for free) and have been inside many, many single parent homes.
loading...
A lot of assistance with before and after school care? I wish I lives where ever you are! There are roughly 1500 primary school kids attending school in my town. There are 14 after school care places. There is NO holiday care. where is the assistance you mentioned?
loading...
The woman Im talking about lives in a very nice family area in sydney. She Lives completely off of the single parent pension. She even gets botox.
loading...
$1150 where did u get that figure from?
loading...
Reading so many responses, I’m surprised how judgmental people are. Sadly, it’s mostly women judging other women on their choices. So many people seem to think that women who chose not to work are lazy and watch soap operas all day. While there may be a small number, that wouldnt be the majority.
loading...
I agree in some ways, for example judging a working or SAHM for their choices if they were self sufficient. That’s totally judgemental because it’s their choice and doesn’t affect us.
But the difference lies in the fact that taxpayer money contributes to welfare payments so people kind of have a right to an opinion on what is fair or not. The government makes the choices, but as taxpayers I think we have a right to an opinion. I don’t think it’s judgemental, it’s democracy.
loading...
I’m not suggesting that people aren’t entitled to an opinion. But there is ALOT of people on this article verbally bashing saying that stay at home mums are being lazy, welfare bludgers and the like. Are there some out there? Absolutely! But the majority simply aren’t like that.
loading...
Why not reduce the age to 12 instead if 8? It seems extreme to drop from 16 to 8 to me…by 12, most kids are capable of looking after themselves before and after school so it would rule out all the child care concerns and enable parents to find 9-5 jobs, which would make them more employable. Funding welfare until the youngest child is 16, however, is also in my opinion unnecessary for most families.
I am really torn on this new policy…I actually think that it it is necessary for single parents to get back into the workforce, however, I think it should be incentivised and supported with skills training, employment help and affordable childcare options.
I think there are single parents out there who need ‘tough love’ because they take advantage of the welfare system, however, for the most part, single parents are genuine people who need our support because they find themselves in circumstances beyond their control…and as so many have said, the real concern is that these changes will ultimately end up hurting the children more than anyone else.
loading...
this is exact what I think too. The age dropped away too much. Kids are going to suffer, not only parents. Is not like the programs within school are amazing. They need to sport, dance etc after school, they need to eat well. Eat well at school all day??? what a joke? And to survive paying absurd prices for petrol, food and rent, that it is even more of a joke. Julia thinks we single mothers can work long hours 9 to 5, having an 8 year old stuck a school all day 5 days a week. I am a single mother, I work as a physical trainer in 5 different venus and I cant make more money because I can fit 5 am classes cause there is nobody there to help me at that time, because an 8 year old is TOO YOUNG STILL. I work 3 nights a week, so 3 nights my little one has to come to work with me or go to someone house and we don’t get home till 7/8 pm. And I am struggling to pay bills, having the support which now is gone. I am trying to build a career, I have job offers throw it at me and cant take cause my little one is to little to be home alone and go to school alone. I CANT WAIT FOR THIS MANWOMAN CALLED JULIA(O) TO BE VOTED OUT . I certainly didn’t vote her in anyway.
I am very angry and worry about how to cope with this changes. I think we need to protest heavily. It should be 12 yrs old.
loading...
Again though we need to keep in mind that the age was dropped 6 years ago from 16 to 8. As much as some may not like this political party or that one, Julia nor anyone else just pulled this number out of the sky this year.
Which brings to me a question I’ve been wanting to ask: Where was the outrage when this change first happened in July 2006? Was anyone worried about all of the single parents who’d need PPS after that date or did anyone care about the inequality of some receiving it until their kids are 16 but others wouldn’t? I’ve had the chance to talk to a few of my friends today about this – ones who have received PPS at various points within the past 6 years – and every one of them didn’t know that there were parents who were still able to receive PPS until their youngest was 16. They had assumed everyone had the same requirements they did – as in when your youngest is 8, you transfer to Newstart. And understandably they were pissed when I showed them this article and the comments.
I truly don’t think people should receive a payment longer than someone else because they had a child sooner than their neighbour. I’m sorry if that offends some but I believe either everyone should get PPS until their youngest child is 16 – which I don’t agree with as I feel children of that age are more than self-sufficient in many facets – or no one should. The parents that this article affects have been receiving PPS for at least 6 to 15.11 years (longer if they have multiple children). They also would’ve had to be participating in the workforce, studying or job searching and providing evidence of that since their youngest was 7. Even those who started to receive PPS right before the ’06 changes came through would now have 6 year old children and would have been advised by Centrelink that they would soon have participation requirements. Despite the tone of this article, it is not the reality that them having to re-enter the workforce is a big shock. The only difference is they were able to claim until their youngest was 16 whereas now they’ll be treated the same as the 10s of thousands of parents who started to receive PPS in the past 6 years. Whether we think 8 is too young or not, at least the system has achieved parity for every single parent.
loading...
what i dont understand is my son is 11years old and i am still on parenting payment i work 15hrs a week as required by centrelink as my son is of school age but then i read that apparently i shouldnt have to… also a friend of mine in the same situation who also works is on newstart and her son is 9… she went into centrelink and asked why i was on that payment when she was not and they said i shouldnt be but then iv had plenty of assessments over the years so if that was the case ild know.. she worse of then me and yes the drop would effect me as my job cant offer me more then the hours i have and i pay 300 a week in rent on my own on top of everything eles… whats the point in a 2nd job when u get taxed way too much its not worth it…. personally they should have just had it at 12 but yeah
loading...
You do have to work, study or at least try to in your circumstance. The parents who were grandfathered in ie you were receiving PPS from before July 1, 2006 receive participation requirements when their youngest child is 7. (Those who started to receive it July 1/06 and after have to start participating when their youngest is 6)
So as long as you were on PPS before that date, don’t stress about whatever your friend was told. If your friend was also on PPS before that date, she most likely should still be on it now unless there was a break in her claiming, Centrelink stopped her payments for whatever reason or there’s another mitigating circumstance that I obviously wouldn’t know about her situation. If so, she would’ve then started up again under the post July 1/06 rules and that would be why she’s on Newstart now as her PPS would end when her son turned 8. Hope that helps a bit
loading...
Go Steph, I cry daily for the chidren of this country. Now the money is going to illegal immigrants. Wow, nice one JULIA and your cronies. Parenting is devalued. Shove them into after/before school care where they get yelled at regularly, not helped with their homework (not a priority) the t.v. is so loud you can’t hear yourself talk and there is the option of various computer games. I cry for my girl – I want the best for her!
loading...
Where does all this yelling happen? What are they yelling about?
loading...
Thank god there’s people on here that actually get that children who are 8 aren’t old enough to leave at home.
The policy is about forcing single mothers into full-time employment when the youngest child turns 8. This policy goes hand in hand with the brainless crap that the government churned out with the child care legislation that came into effect recently that forced me & many others into having to find a new child care provider and in turn pay higher fees because that’s all that was available. Sure, you have one child in childcare whose 8 – pretty affordable with all the subsidies. Two children full time childcare = unsustainable especially if teamed with HECS payments out of your salary (Aren’t single mums meant to be furthering their education so they can get out of this low paid job rut!! And no, HECS thresholds aren’t particularly high in my opinion when you’re paying 1/6th of your aftertax dollars on childcare or MORE THAN YOUR CHILD SUPPORT).
In my case I was with the children’s father in an 8 year relationship, he had drug issues, there were abuse issues. No I didn’t plan that. My youngest is now 6 years old and I have put in over 3 years of that working 30 – 37.5 hrs a week. Paying childcare, taxes (albeit lower %) but still copping the stigma that ‘single mum’ attracts from people I work with. I didn’t have to work during these years but its the right thing to do. It’s also not easy – because there’s a fulltime job waiting for you at home after work. It’s really hard to study after work without feeling like you’re neglecting your children.
Yet again, the vulnerable group of society is copping punishment. Why not look to the example that JETS provides (promoting and supporting women engaging in work and study) and get away from punishment.
All this policy has done is tell those that haven’t got a chance of making a go of it to go and have a baby when their youngest is 7.
If this government really wanted to cut the fat I know where they can save big $$ – they can reverse the *#$% they did in 2008/2009 (I think it was) when child support was practically cut in half. If you want the people who made the babies to pay for the babies then bloody get a decent amount of money off the non-custodial parent and then Newstart will work just fine as a temporary measure during periods of unemployment.
Where is the judgement made against the fathers who aren’t even paying enough child support to pay the day care bill for a mother of two in full time employment. Do you want us to work or not? Do you want the parents to support the children or not? (note: part-time career path work is competitive and not in abundance so a suggestion of just work part-time school hours is theoretically great but in reality difficult to attain).
In a nutshell, they should’ve reviewed child support formulas before pulling this #$^&!!
Where is the credit given (and stigma taken away) for single mothers who have worked for a large portion of their children’s lives before the enforcement of this $&**& social policy.
loading...
I hear ya! Like the ethnic minorities in WW2 people always need someone to blame.
loading...
Having grown up in a single parent household where my mum was on a pension, I think that’s quite a powerless place to be. Now I am a single parent too and have just returned to full time work with my child starting school this year. I am lucky to have a good job and I appreciate the life choices I can make because I have some financial independence. I receive middle class welfare that would be a better target for government spending cuts than forcing some mothers to join the working poor to fit around school hours.
loading...
The vast majority of married mother have to work and put their children into before and after school care so I don’t see why single mothers should get to stay at home.
But the government has to put a lot of support in place. More before and after school childcare places, training for single mothers to equip them for going back to work.
There also needs to be a sick bay type situation where kids who are sick with things like colds can lay around and watch movies while being supervised by someone like a nurse’s aid.
It’s hard for any mother to constantly have time off work when their kids have a cold and aren’t sick as such but are too sick to go to school. It would be doubly hard for a single mother in that position if she didn’t have family to look after her kids.
loading...
While I’m not against limiting the payments I do hope that it isn’t an ‘across the board’ deal not taking into consideration the individual cases as with so many other deals in this country
loading...
I am a lawyer.
In my last (and I admit terribly paid) job I would frequently earn *LESS* than my legally aided clients who relied totally on social security for their income. Not including the paltry sum that they were paid by their stellar ‘baby daddies’ in Child Support. If I was single I would have struggled to make ends meet (I probably would have had to live with my parents) and yet I received not a red cent in government welfare.
On top of that, I didn’t get deductions on my utilities or access to public housing. I had to pay full fee at the Drs, repay my HECS debt, pay a levy for not having private health insurance and I am expected to fund my own retirement, whereas these single welfare Mums were ‘looking forward’ to the aged pension when the time came.
I also had to pay my mortgage and keep my house after working a 50 odd hour week.
There certainly needs to be a balance between allowing Mums to spend quality time with their children while young and not penalising those who are single mothers by circumstance and not choice, however, allowing women to stay at home when they have teenage children at school is not something that sits comfortably with me.
It is also important to consider that it is important for children to grow up seeing their parents go to work. Otherwise, we will see multiple generations of children grow up with no positive work role models, and really what purpose does that serve? A generation of welfare dependants with disenfranchised, agitated, angry workers paying for them!
loading...
The Medicare levy surcharge for not having private health insurance kicks in at $77,000 for a single person with no dependants. You’re claiming your clients on welfare earned over that? I claim shenanigans.
loading...
I am a single mum who has a child who will turn 8 next year, I have always worked and received a part pension depending on the hours I’ve worked since becoming single 4.5 years ago. My job is casual and my hours vary between 20 and 30 hours a week which allows me to work school hours most weeks so the amount of parenting payment I receive is not a huge amount although once I no longer receive this assistance I will have to find an extra 10-15 hours a week work and will be required to find some kind of care for my 2 children which will be hard to come by as the waitlist at Oosh can sometimes take months/years. I’ts ok to say go out and work school hours but school hours unless you are on decent wages does not pay enough so realistically full time work is the only option which does put a lot of single parent’s kids out on the streets while their parents are at work, it is and will be potentially a social disaster. Lucky for me I have a support network but for those that don’t it is really quite sad.
Everyone’s situation is different and I am quite fortunate because I have never had a problem obtaining employment and have always been a mum that has worked but I can imagine this will put many mums and kids in a very vulnerable position. Don’t get me wrong the welfare system needs a shake up but hitting single mums and kids I can not see how anything very positive can come from it.
loading...
The only way this ‘government initiative’ to get single parents back to work can be successful is if childcare affordability and availability is drastically imcreased. Even if childcare is improved, payments need to be looked at on a case-by-case basis. 8 year olds go to school from around 9am to 3pm mon to fri and they have 14 weeks of holidays each year. Kids also get sick, need to be accompanied to appointments, go to sports etc. for a single parent with no partner or family support to help out with the day-to-day logistics of getting their kids to and from school and everywhere else they need to be, life must be very difficult.
loading...
Just out of curiosity, how is childcare unaffordable for someone on a large subsidy? Not only are their fees reduced – but they get half their out of pockets back. While single mothers may have to return to work, it’s highly unlikely the government will simultaneously reduce or cancel child care benefit as well.
loading...
Our childcare is subsidised but I still have to pay 108.00 up front per day and then I get 50% back every three months. I believe this it just not affordable to many families.
loading...
You can organise other methods for the rebate, im pretty sure, for example having the payment paid directly to the centre or monthly payments.
loading...
Yes you can. I pay reduced fees because my son’s centre takes out what childcare benefit I get.
loading...
I am a stay at home mum and I expect to return to work part-time (probably three days a week) when all my kids are in school to help with the increased costs that kids growing older brings, like school fees etc. But, I am trained in a profession that allows for that and fits in with school hours if I work casually (teaching) and I have a husband who works full-time. While I think there should be incentives/support for parents to return to work once their kids aren’t home during the day, I think this move completely ignores the realities of family life, particularly when there is only one parent. Kids do not go to school for normal working hours, which means that a single parent has to look for outside means to provide care for their kids before and/or after school since there aren’t a lot of jobs with school hours. There also needs to be enough jobs to go round for all these parents that are being forced back into the workplace. Where are these going to come from?
I’m really concerned about what this is going to mean for some families.
loading...
This story is inaccurate – this was already changed in 2006 by Howard. Single parents who already received sole parent payments were ‘grandfathered’ and new single parents have already had this requirement of being moved on to Newstart when their youngest was 8 yrs since 2006. Do some research Mamamia!
At any rate taking money away from mums trying to raise their kids is not the way the surplus should be achieved. The only people who suffer here are the children.
Most single parents are already working and studying who receive these payments – they are not sitting at home doing nothing! And Newstart requires Mums to take any jobs no matter how unsatisfactory or move to work for the dole. These women are working for the future!! Raising our children.
loading...
We’re aware of that! The newest changes still affect 100,000, however, so we thought it worthy of mentioning. Thanks!
loading...
let’s assume the single parent can get a job and transport is not a issue. At my local schools, before and after school care(OOSH) is. Very few jobs are 9.30 to 2.30. More places must be made available to working parents for OOSH placements. I was offered places for my 2 older kids, but not for my kinder kid this year – how does that work? It doesn’t, when my husband and I both do!
loading...
I had to take leave without pay during school holidays because there were no vacation care spaces available.
loading...
There is no reason parents can’t work when they have children, especially when children hit kinder or school age. There are many jobs that offer part time hours that would suit a parent who can only work either school hours or weekends, if this suits the parent. I am strongly opposed to people not working just because they have children. I am also of the view that day care / after school care being so damn expensive. I understand why a parent would not want to work full time or at times they would need to put children in day care, because it can make you financially worse of to work while having children in day care. But once a child is at school or kinder there is absolutely no reason a parent can’t work.
In saying that, I get very mad that there are people that have children every so many years so that they can stay on Centrelink benefits and not have to work. This is wrong and should not happen. But how would you control this?
loading...
There are very few jobs out there that offer 10AM – 2PM, 5 days a week and 12 weeks off during school holidays.
If someone could only work these hours and the government payment is gone, the earn approx $440 a week, minus tax. Far less then what they’re getting now
loading...
While at uni I could only work outside 9-5 due to attending uni. So I worked at a number of retail places who had single parents (mostly mothers) working during the day and school and uni students working the hours that the parents could’t.
I understand that someone with kids cannt afford to both live off their money and pay for day care. Due to this the government needs to do more to make day care / before and after school care more affordable or accept that parents will not be in a financial position to work, live off their money and pay for day care and continue to financially support families.
loading...
I am in two minds about this. On one hand I know people step up and over come fear and get motivated when they have to. If your desperate you will over come your fear and get a job.
On the other hand these people may not be mentally capable of work. I have a close friend who I would not qualify as fit to work. because the social pressures of it push her frail mental state over the edge. I remember her first job as Woolies pushed her to anorexia and suicidal depression.
I don’t think people refuse to work because they are lazy, maybe more because they don’t feel good enough or employable. or they may not have the mental strength for it.
So in terms of the government proposal- lets starve the kiddies. great.
loading...
I understand your friend’s situation, but I think she is the exception not the rule. People in her situation would be more appropriate on a disability pension, rather than a single parent payment. If the government could better support people with mental illness to find appropriate employment options this would also help.
There are many single parents with skills and experience that could be easily transferred to the working environment.
loading...
This country is need of a welfare shake up. I work in social welfare and I see Definate abuse of the single mothers pension. Women who continuously abuse the welfare system by having babies so that they can live off the system. And unfortunately this continues the cycle with their children. I work with many single mothers who are doing it tough but they are hard workers who manage to juggle their way around it. Yes there is room for extra support for single mothers, which needs to be addressed , but staying on a pension is not one of them. Living on the gold coast I see many large families coming to live here from New Zealand, (a country not experiencing political unrest) who have arrived here with no employment yet can access family welfare benefits. We need to be looking at issues such as this as well.
loading...
You can now only access most Centrelink benefits if you’re a NZ-er who’s been here more than ten years, so your accounts of people moving here and claiming pensions might have happened in the past but aren’t happening any more: http://www.centrelink.gov.au/internet/internet.nsf/factors/nz_policy.htm
loading...
When I returned to work, I was bullied so badly about my kids being in care (by other women) that I had to resign.
loading...
Don’t ever listen to someone else about what you should be doing with your kids. You have the right to feel safe at work and you should have reported her.
loading...
This proposal brings single parents into line with the rest of the population. If you want money then get out there a get a job. Whilst I simpathise with some individual situations the reality is that we should be responsible for ourselves and not expect everyone else to support us.
I’d love to spend more time with my kids but that does not pay the bills so why should single parents get this opportunity whilst those with partners go to work.
loading...
Love your simplified world view, however life is not like that.
What do you say to those who live in a small country town with a 12 percent unemployment rate, a bus service to the nearest town – 30km away – that only provides ONE service per day, leaving at 10.30am and returning at 6.00pm, and no before or after school care at the local public school? This was my experience and the reason I had a single parent payment for five years. Life is not as black and white as you may think. Wish it were as easy as you claim, but no it’s not.
And before you (or anyone else) questions my choices to stay there, I was doing a university degree and getting myself where I am now – in a highly paid job and ‘paying back’ via my taxes.
loading...
You could move. It’s that simple.
loading...
Did you not read my final line???
And just for the record – do you think it would be okay for me – or anyone else in that situation – to move children away from their community, their school, their family AND their father? My son’s dad lives in this town too – and he wanted to stay as close to his children as possible.
‘Move, it’s that simple’ – yes, another simplistic world view that doesn’t work in real life.
loading...
Kathy, your situation may well be the exception, my point was that like with lots of Government payments the rules need to be made for the majority, and full time study would count as as an exception in my book, though I managed to complete a University degree whilst working full-time and with 2 kids, I did have a partner so it was a little easier for me.
loading...
I fully agree, there are a lot of married/partnered parents out there who have to work as there is no help for them. What is the difference?
If you live in a place with little work, what of it, so do a few couples who cant get work.
I get so annoyed where so many people are supported by my taxes, and yes i worked after all my children were born because i couldnt afford not to.
loading...
I hate that saying- my taxes paying for your welfare. most people wouldn’t pay enough tax to cover their tax rebates, childcare, hospital roads defense for contribution, etc.
Big companies and the super rich pay for the rest. So your just paying your way if that so please drop it.
loading...
So you might not claim pensions but did you accept the baby bonus? My taxes paid for that. Ever taken your kids to the GP? My taxes paid for that. Kids attending school? Driven on a road? Used a library? Claimed the private health care rebate? Used a local park? My taxes paid for all of that.
What happens when you age and need care? What happens if you are injured or diagnosed with a serious illness? What happens if, as in my case, your partner dies and you are suddenly a single parent?
Do you want people turning to you and saying I dont want my taxes going there or do you want to contribute safe in the knowledge that should you ever need assistance it is there for you. I know which I would prefer.
loading...
Have YOU ever driven on a road? Have YOU ever visited a library. Have YOU ever used a park? Umm your taxes paid for YOU to use those facilities too or perhaps you forgot that???.
loading...
Yes – I have and Im not too sure what point you are trying to make there Anonymous?
To clarify – what I was trying to get across was that our taxes provide us with a large array of services. People who claim that their taxes are funnelled straight into welfare need to understand that they are themselves a recipient of many services provided by the government. They may not be getting a pension but they are benefitting.
I have to say Im shocked at the level of vitriol and personal attack from commenters on this. I want to stop receiving the notifications so that I dont have to read this kind of comment and come back to respond. I should probably just ignore it but I dont believe in letting bullies win.
Slow down and read the comments carefully before you fire off a nasty response. If its something you wouldnt say to someones face why would you say it online?
loading...
It’s not a personal attack, what I’m saying is that I hate the argument that “my taxes pay your welfare”. Everyone pays tax and if you think about it your tax usually ends up going back to you with services such as parks, libraries, roads and such. You aren’t paying for others, your money really goes back to you.
loading...
Yes – so we are making the same point. Everyone’s taxes go into the pot and come out as a range of services we all use.
Im saying this in a friendly way so my tone isnt misinterpreted – caps locked words in a comment are aggressive. You say its not a personal attack and, well, fine, but a shouted YOU is very hard to interpret as friendly.
loading...
‘If you live in a place with little work, what of it, so do a few couples…’
What’s your point? Couples also live in my town – and they are also on welfare. It’s called partnered parenting payment and newstart allowance.
loading...