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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
Although I’m sure this won’t make me popular with some, I feel I need to say this:
When this policy was introduced in 2006, the parents who were grandfathered in were also given participation requirements but theirs commenced from when their youngest turned 7 or immediately if their child was already older than that. The parents who fell into that category of immediately having participation requirements and are still on PPS at this point, have now been either working, studying or engaging with their service provider – and having access to all of the support available for parents from those providers and the Government – for almost 6 years and their children are now 13 and older.
As a single mother myself, I do think bringing everyone onto the same page is the best idea. Sally shouldn’t receive a payment until her child is 16 because he was born in June ’06 but John’s payment stops when his child is 8 because his child happened to be born two months later. And I’m not sure how the magical age of 8 was chosen back then and I’m torn as to whether I agree with it or not now that I’m a mother myself but that’s the number they came up with so I guess we’re stuck with it for the time being.
But I don’t believe paying a parenting payment to someone whose child/ren are at high school for the bulk of the day is appropriate. A teenager can get himself to school and back and even make themselves something to eat should their parent be at work for a couple of hours when they get home. Teenagers from both single and dual parent families do it every day. And for those who have children with special needs there is the Carer’s payment which has no participation requirements at all so those families are still taken care of.
Most importantly though, I saw first hand working with parents trying to re-enter the workforce how difficult it was after 8 years out of it, let alone 16. Not only are some employers reluctant to hire them but the parents are often hesitant, lack self-confidence, are not always up-to-date with current office practices or technology, etc. Letting even more years pass in between doesn’t do anyone any good when the end result is going to be the same: You’re either going to have to return to work, win the lotto or face a life on Newstart (and I’m sure Newstart’s requirements will change eventually as well).
I guess I just don’t believe a policy that removes the grandfathering while still providing safety nets and assistance to support people back into employment is a bad thing.
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I have a genuine question before I even begin to make up my mind on this issue. Are single parents required to work to get the $648.50/fn (after school attending age of course)? Do they continue to get this benefit if they have employment?
Also, how does anyone live on $648.50 a fortnight????
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I’m fairly sure if they work, their payments rates change.
Everyone is saying how much single parents get. It works out little more then $300 a week. Who is able to live on that?
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That doesnt include any of the extra payments like rent assistance and the fact that you recieve more for every child you have. I know a single mother who recieves about $1100 per fortnight.
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Yes, I have been on the parenting payment for almost 12 months, my kids are 7 and 12. I have to work 30 hours every fortnight, and the payment is not paid if I earn over about $1700 a fortnight. If i don’t work the 30 hours they will put me on job start. I have always worked partime since having kids, it was a big thing for me to go to centerlink and ask for help.
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Thanks for filling me in, Anontoday.
Wow, it really takes my breath away that people live on less than $330 a week…
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Keep in mind though, that’s just for the parenting payment. Us single parents also get Family Tax Benefit A and B, plus rent assistance. I was on PPS for a couple of months last year and I think I was receiving around $1100 a fortnight all up. And with the concession card, I was getting reduced rates for my utilities and a few other bills. Still much less than I had been earning but at least it’s better than $648
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I was on Sole parent benefits when my husband first left and my children were young and it was a lifesaver for me then. Eventually i found work and ended up working full time – i wasn’t very skilled so was only earning about $550 in the hand per week but managed fine while still partially supoorting my 2 teenage children who were at uni.
My cousin who had an 8 yo child was also on sole parent benefit, familt assistance, child support from the father , rent assistance etc etc and was receiving approx $680 per week – what is ever going to make her want to try and get back to work? She now has a part time job but will only do a certain amount of work – she refuses any extra work she is offered as it will “cut her pension out”.
I don’t know the answer – I only know I used to get quite aggravated listening to her talk about being a struggling single parent!
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The average full time student lives on $200 a week!
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THANK YOU!
The maximum a student living away from home gets is $260 per week. I have bipolar and anxiety so am incapable of working but dont have anywhere else to go so i have to live in a very very dangeorus area in an awful, unsafe apartment and travel 2 hours per day on public transport just get to get to and from uni. I had to make the choice between living comortably on over $400 per week on a disability pension, unable to study or have my payment cancelled. Or choose to study full time and get $260 p/w. I have integrity so I chose to study but i know many people who have made a different decision! Yes we get $1000 twice a year to cover textbooks and education costs, but I can assure you, this does not cover it! Text books cost between $300 and $900 per semester and we have to have access to computers, internet, printing as well. Its so ridiculous. Everyone craps on about single parents but I know dozens of students who dropped out of uni and entered the work force because it was impossible to study and live away from home but their parents no longer had the means to support a full grown adult.
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Eh? You can study full time on the disability pension….I do. You even get extra payments to help cover the cost of study.
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I’m guessing they can only manage that in a share house. How many share houses do you think are going to rent out that room to a mum and her kids?
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Hi been reading all the comments and just wanted to add mine. I have been on a pension since before my 3rd was even born, partner decided kids were too hard to look after a young single chick was better ,he does not help at all. I have no family to help and refuse to expect friends to baby sit I do it all my self.I have had to live off what was available and even i think its way too long. I have gotten my grade ten pass, retail course and a business course done , I have done volunteering at various community groups and now am trying for teachers aide. I live in a small town. I believe in working i now have older children 12,14,16 I have now over the last 18months gotten back at least 40+ no thank you job gone letters and this is so discouraging. I have found all training or any funding or tried to pay from my pension, one child has epilepsy and I am supposed to go to work. This I really really want, but no one so far needs a 50 year old woman with a child who will need me if her condition requires it. Id like to know how some comments stated we get this large amount of cash or even help. After the flood i lost all my furniture, tv and photos, clothes, furniture but was not eliable for help. So am still trying to get normal household items. I get less as my centrelink says(no one will fix this incorrect listing) my ex gives me $5000 per year I wish, if pigs could fly. Where is the help to find people like me who want to work. I have not seen any, I am doing my course soon and out of my pension, I also have to pay for my older sons tafe. Oh by the way rent assistance is not available in gov housing, and i am only getting about what was mentioned but this has to pay for the rent $280fn school fees which is $256 + extras, fuel $70 + food $200w Rego $320 per 6mths, Primary Fees $20w,Primary camp $250 + expenses, Licence $143 its gone up- 5 years, Trailer $82, Tafe fees $30 sons + books, Tafe fees mine approx $800 for whole course me to pay, mobile phone $30 try to keep it low, Internet $55 a must for high schoolers. Elec I paid $25 per week for the last 3 months and still owe money, I dont own a heater or any fancy equipment. I use cold water to wash, and turn off all lights. This does not include kids clothing, girly items, personal items,shoes, school project items,bags each years new books and outgrown school uniforms that so called bonus may just mean for 2 high school new uniforms, i am very power aware, i also grow some vegetables to save on cash. I now no longer take the kids camping as I cant afford to save. I am thinking to give up the car as of late any spare ( gov) did pay to fix it. Oh by the way I have paid for all my pension as I worked from age 14 years up to when I was 38 so i think all my taxes should have paid for the help i get now. I am seriously thinking that in 5 years as per my calculations(2017) I do not know how I will pay for a house and normal bills if I don’t get a job once the pension does stop. I have tried to see what to do as I am a big planner, but all i can see is a raise in food, fuel and living with no help for people like me. My future is quite bleak so how about some good ideas and any suggestions, I have seriously thought of moving, oh that costs as well, but at least I don’t own much so not much to move, I do not want to live in a shed again of which me and the kids had to do after the flood, it was not much fun all in one room. C
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I think Aussies don’t realise how good they have it……most Asian countries have NO welfare, that’s no aged pension, unemployment benefits, or any other ones for that matter….. least we have a publich health system…America doesn’t!!!!
Everyone wants everything for free! Free education, free health, govt handouts….
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Are you saying you want Australia to become like America and China? I surely hope you don’t, so many people in those countries are living far below the poverty line, often due to circumstances like this. God forbid our country goes in that direction
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Hello! That’s why we pay taxes! If the budget was divided fairly, there would no issue. Fix your own backyard before someone else’s. I’ve paid tax all my life, so I don’t feel guilty if I use welfare when I can. I still work too but at 47 what are my chances or getting a job that fits with school hours? I didn’t ask for my husband to leave either, hence the situation. Nothing is black and white. If we can support people in need why not? Who cares what happens in other countries?
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I don’t think anyone was suggesting we pay to fund welfare overseas – it was being used as a comparison.
Also, just fyi – I care about what happens to people everywhere and I’m certain lots of other people do too.
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Maybe I didn’t express myself properly, sorry. I meant that ‘we’ send billions of $$ overseas as it is, so we should look after our own first if that’s the case. I know that we are very well looked after her and to honest, so we should be. I don’t understand how other countries don’t look after their own. I don’t believe in sponging off the government but there are times when I feel it is justified to look after their own. I work, self employed but I don’t want to go out and leave my children in someone else’s care. That’s all.
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I see where you’re coming from on this, it’s a valid view point.
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Funny, I read the same comment and started counting my blessings…….
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I thought the requirement was that people actively try to find work/get into training? so if you genuinely cannot find work because there are no jobs, but you make an effort, you don’t get penalised?
Also, I was under the impression that they would get assistance with child care to make the transition into the workforce easier?
Could someone clarify for me?
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AFAIK, the work/study requirements are for Newstart, not PPS. So if they can’t find work, they get to keep their Newstart, not stay on PPS.
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When your youngest is 6, you are given part time participation requirements with an employment services provider. You can fulfil those by working or studying 30 hours a fortnight or by actively looking for work and engaging with your ESP. From 6 until 8, you still receive the Parenting Payment but you now have to fulfil those requirements. Once your child turns 8, you transfer to the Newstart Allowance (less money) and will then have the same full time participation requirements as a regular job seeker. Obviously the goal is to provide as much support to parents as possible so they never hit the Newstart phase.
And yes, there is the JET program for child care assistance which covers the difference between what the child care benefit provides and what your child care actually costs so you can work or study.
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I’ll throw another controversial opinion into the mix…why the hell not I say.
I happen to believe that if a person is unemployed when they become pregnant they shouldn’t be paid parenting payments. I understand that people who alreay have children find themselves in extreme circumstances which make it necessary to claim payments; however I don’t see why my taxes should go to support people who choose to have children while not supporting themselves financially.
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That’s a fantastic idea… If your goal is to punish the child.
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Truth be told, I think women on the dole, and partners of men on the dole should be taking the contraceptive pill as part of the deal, but I figured I’d start out light
My goal isn’t to punish anyone. My “goal”, as it were, is to try and make sure that the numerous men and women I have seen blatantly exploiting the system are a thing of the past.
When my first child was born my partner was working, and I was studying. The pregnancy was entirely unplanned, and as my then partner injured himself at work a few months later, I made the decision to take responsibility for my actions and go to work as soon as I could after my daughter was born. After coming to the realisation that my partner had faked his workplace injury and therefore was unlikely to go back to work anytime soon, I applied for a housing commission place and we got a flat in an area full of young families. It was astounding how many of the women in these families had chosen to have kids, knowing they had no plan to work until their kids were at school. A number of them even chose to have more children while on benefits, because they were pretty well set as far as they were concerned. One charming young lady had an awesome little scam going with local charities where she would apply at each for hampers they give out to families in need….one year she got no less than three. It was like Chrisco without the bit where you pay for it.
When in another town a few years prior to having my daughter, our next door neighbour would proudly boast that she had times the 14 year age gap between kids perfectly – it didn’t look too suspicious as her son was still 2 years off the age where she’d have to give up benefits, if she took a little while to get pregnant or lost the first baby she had time to have another….charming!
And let’s see, how about the women you see often posting on sites such as this about how they chose to give up work, get pregnant and then live off the dole as though it’s a lifestyle choice – and pat themselves on the back for “being able to support themselves” on such a small income. Sorry ladies, but you’re not supporting yourselves, I’m supporting you, and I don’t see why it should be a free ride.
Or even (on a smaller scale) the women in this very thread who talk about their rights as parents to decide whether they send their kids to daycare….that’s as may be – but it shouldn’t be your choice when it’s not on your dollar.
I’m sure I sound bitter and nasty to some, but we’re being asked for an opinion, and there’s no way to sugarcoat it anyway.
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A part of me agrees with you. If only it wasn’t so politically incorrect to do so……..
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That’s not going to work out so brilliantly for the innocent little soul they give birth to…
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Maybe not, but you’ll be surprised how many women choose not to have children when the financial incentive isn’t as sweet.
Children are born into unfortunate circumstances all the time, we can try and make things better where we can – but there has to be a reasonable limit. Welfare should be a last resort, not the first choice – and you’re kidding yourself if you think people don’t choose it happily on occasion despite the meagre allowance.
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Yes, some people choose this. Yes some people try and use the system for their own means. However how many women are left with 1 or more children because their partner just walks out on them? Giving them no child support and leaving them with the children and often very limited opportunities. Are you saying we should also punish those women and their children?
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I’m pretty sure I already said I realise there are mitigating circumstances which make it necessary for women to claim these benefits, and that my issue is with women CHOOSING to have kids so they can claim benefits – but in case I didn’t make it clear enough…consider it said now.
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I hear ya Kersten loud and clear. Having children should not be a plan to ‘make money’. Having children should be about the joy of raising a family. I don’t know how you Police it, but it’s just stupid to think your financially better off to be on benefits with children than on benefits without. Children are expensive and have needs, beyond food and nappies!
I also HATE people saying they are getting paid when referring to receiving benefits, because you have to work to get paid, i do need to clarify that I know there are people who for genuinely cannot work and their only means of survival is to rely on Centrlink benefits, I hold nothing against them and mean them no disrispect.
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because rape (both within relationships and without) doesn’t exist, and abortion is freely available and morally acceptable to all …
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I did toss up including a proviso about rape in my initial statement, but since I made it pretty clear that my issue is with women choosing to have kids and sit on their bums, I assumed it would be understood that I realise rape is a mitigating factor, my mistake. As far as women getting pregnant and not being able to find work, all good. But women choosing to claim benefits and not even trying to support themselves and their families – tough cheese.
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Kersten, taking away social benefits is detrimental to a community as a whole. it widens the gap between wealthy and poor and the crime rate starts to climb. Then you may find yourself in a situation such as that in South Africa where car hijacking and shanty towns are rife. Welfare helps keep society even and balanced and helps to protect the most vulnerable, the babies and children which are our future. I will never begrudge my tax dollars going to welfare recipients.
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Again, I am not against taking away ALL benefits. I am against the blanket application of welfare to any and all who apply, regardless of their situation – with the only requirement being that you are having a baby and don’t have a job. It’s treated as a black and white issue, when it isn’t one. And I am most definitely against the attitude that welfare payments are a lifestyle choice, rather than an absolute necessity.
I realise it’s extremely difficult look into applications on a more individual basis. But if we can throw money around so carelessly, why can’t we include a few extra dollars to pay for more Centrelink employees to look a little deeper into the individual situations of applicants and limit payment to those truly in need – as opposed to those who’ve made a choice to be where they are?
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As someone with no children, I don’t always sound overly sympathetic with many of the ‘benefits’ that are offered to parents. As I said at work recently (tongue in cheek, I promise), where is my non-maternity leave? Where is my 5 extra paid days off to attend vet appointments for my cats? But I do appreciate how hard it is to be a parent, let alone a single parent. I agree with many of the comments below that maybe this change could happen when the kids go to high school. Eight isn’t old enough to be self-sufficient and get themselves off to school etc. Before and after school care is expensive and doing it on one wage (especially a part time wage / part single parent pension type of wage) would be a stretch.
Hats off to those trying to make it all happen and raise responsible, caring young people.
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Eight is plenty old enough to get to school. I was walking to and from school on my own from five years of age. Granted, the school was around the corner from where we lived, but five is plenty old enough to master “look left right left” once you’ve walked the route with your parents for a year.
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No way would i let my boys who will be 8 at the end of this year, make there own way to school next year…not.a.hope.in.hell. I too was riding my bike to school at 6 , it was 3 blocks away and I had to cross a few intersections, but it was not what it is like today.
I agree with other commenters that 12 seems like a more reasonable age. At 12 they are preparing for the whole aspect of high school which is a lot more self driven and accountable than primary school.
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Errr… no it’s not. Eight is still very young!!!
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It’s actually illegal to let a child under 10 walk to school alone. There is currently an advert on tv about the “Walk to school day” coming up and it states that it is illegal for a child under 10 to cross a road on the way to school without adult supervision
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I don’t know about whether it’s illegal to let a child walk by themselves under 10, but I find it slightly ridiculous that we are encouraged to “hover” over our kids until say 12. After that, nothing, they can walk by themselves wherever they want, stay home by themselves, testify in the courts as to which parent they want to live and there’s no more child care. It just seems too abrupt. Surely parents should have discretion here. They know their kids best and independence from your parents should be a gradual process.
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Most parents are single parents through circumstances, often not my choice. Marriage break up, domestic violence, death of a partner, a partner up and leaving.
Despite the government thinking that parents should work from the time their youngest child is 8, which companies are going to hire someone 10AM – 2PM. Realistically that’s all a parent could work due to school hours, especially if they don’t have anyone else to took after the kids. Or does the government expect the parent to work and then spend all their money on child care??
If someone works 4 hours a day, 5 days a week, their average wage would be $440, before tax. Hardly a wage that a family of more then one could even live on.
The majority of single parents are women and so many receive no money from the childs father and already living below the poverty line.
An absolute disgrace from this government, although what else is new?
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Before and after school care is available and as a single mother it is very well subsidised for me. BUT it is too much for the kids to be at before and after school care everyday. My kids go just to after school care twice a week and that is definitely enough. It gets exhausting for them, and I would feel guilty putting them in more than that. I don’t use before school care and can usually just manage to get into work one minute before my starting time, while everyone else is in about half an hour early. It makes me look bad, but what can I do?
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Hi, I work Monday to Friday and my kids are in after school care everyday it is exhausting on all of us I’ve asked for one day off a fortnight which I’m hoping will help manage work school and home
what happens to single parents who come under the grandfathered ?? This cut in payments is going to devastating on families 
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I may be narrow minded but why is the government paying to house refugees and taking money of single parents who already have it tough.yes they must go back to working and helping the economy but why at the age of 8 maybe as people have said at 12 when they don’t need to have after school care ect. May I add a lot of theses single parents don’t receive a cent from the other parent.
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Refugees are humans who need help too. Why does it have to be one or the other?
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But it will be! We have pensioners who can’t afford to put on a heater, we have carers at breaking point, cancer drugs not funded, farmers suiciding and 17000 people have come by boat since Rudd and Gillard came to power. Add family reunions, burned buildings, billions in detention centers and ASIO and it is one or the other. And it’s not our vulnerable who come first.
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I know…..lets raise taxes, then there will be more money to go around!!!
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I would LOVE to know where this story is coming from. Centrelink’s own eligibility criteria (i tried to claim single parent pension for the first time this January) state that -
Eligibility
You may qualify for Parenting Payment either as a parent, grandparent or foster carer, if:
you are single and you care for at least one child aged under 8 years, or
you have a partner and you care for at least one child aged under 6 years, and
your and your partner’s income and assets are below a certain amount.
I was told i was NOT eligible as my son had just turned 8. therefore i would deduce that this reform is already in action….
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That would be because you applied after 2006.
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Yep, that’s what i was told. So technically the reform is already in place then – Too late to make a song and dance over it like its new news really…
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No, this is the Govt bringing others into line with the Libs’ reform, but they were offered protection under grandfather clauses. It just seems a bit mean-spirited (to me) and i thought it would make an interesting discussion on the broader point of what we expect of single parents.
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I believe that the payment should be for every single parent until the child turns 16. I didn’t ask to be single and I want to be available at home with my boys until they are 16 and I work from home to be able to do that. I had to go to Newstart when my youngest turned 8 last year, so the basics of the law is already in place for some of us. I think it stinks that I’m not eligible for it now and it sucks for those who will be without it soon too. I thought the same as many do that why should you get this money but when you’re in that situation yourself, you can understand why.
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‘I want to be available at home with my boys until they are 16…’ Well, wouldn’t that be nice. But funnily enough, I have to work. To support myself, and by the sounds of it, to support you too. Get a job.
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“what we expect from single parents” – Rick you sound pretty patriarchal there.
Just because a woman is raising children by herself doesn’t give you a right to tell her what you expect from her. Just because she receives some financial support from the Govt also does not give you the right to tell her what you expect from her. All levels of society receive financial support in some capacity.
Clive Palmer’s mining company did not pay 1 cent of tax last financial year! Yet he is bankrolling newspaper ads attacking the mining company tax.
Single parents can’t run a campaign like that to protect their meagre payments from ALP desperate attempts to achieve the golden surplus.
With more than 1 in 3 marriages breaking down these days – every 3rd mother you meet is a single parent – stop being so judgemental and start being part of the solution of building a community that support families and women.
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Um, say what? I’m on the side of single parents. I’m the product of a single parent home. And it ain’t just mothers, it’s single dads too. ‘Patriarchal’. Bollocks.
Did you even read the article on which you are commenting? Re-read what I wrote a little more closely next time.
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Excuuuuse me Anon up there who replied to my post telling me to get a job. I DO have job running my own business from home which I have done for 12 years since I had my first child – I have actually NEVER stopped working, so don’t tell me to get a job and you certainly are NOT supporting me – how arrogant!
All I’m saying is that all situations are different and if I can get some assistance being on my own, so I should. I’ve paid taxes all my life so I am entitled to have some of that back when needed and that should go for everyone in a similar situation. Have you considered the cost to the community of teenagers causing problems because their parents aren’t home before and after school. Have a look at the big picture. Children need their parents at home until they’re 18 and we should be supporting each other not judging!
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Hi lawyer – I am a became a single mother of twins at the age of 39. I was a professional like yourself and earned good money and paid high taxes. I too used to think like you when I was first in the work force (in a lower paid banking job) and getting not much more than a single mother of 2 when they came into the bank to collect their benefits. What a life I thought and they dont have to work. – How things have changed!! I now have learned not to judge. There was no maternity payment when I had the twins – although there was $4000 per child which was a life saver for me as I had to relocate back to my home town to be near my parents. I had to pay relocating costs, I could not sell my home and I had to pay mortgage plus rent which cost myself $600 per week. I had to give up work 2 months prior and did not get paid by the govenment while I was not working before I had the twins as I had money in the bank which I was happy to pay. by doctors orders. I could not live with my parents as they where elderly. The father of my children who is also on a high salery in the medical proffession chose not to be in my childrens lives and because he works for himself and there is no medicare rebates in his profession I get the lowest childcare amount. Because he works for himself I could not go back to the work force until my twins where 18 months old and when I did I was on a much lower paid job as there was no jobs available in the location I moved to plus in my career before I gave birth I had to travel. I had to give up work 18 months after I started my first job due to on going illness and had no sick pay left. The sickness came due after I became so run down on trying to work 4 days per week and looking after twins with one of them with mild autism. Yes single parent pensions do get rebates on electricity and gas and rent assistance but the cost of living is more than twice as much then being a single person as you need bigger accommodation and you are home more to care for your child and use alot more electricity, gas etc. I enjoyed working and it is much easier to be at work but it is very hard to earn a decent income when you have children as a single parent. You just dont have the hours to work to make the income. i have learnt to budget very well and do without alot and belive that families could live on one salary – double income families just want more things and I have no problem with that as they have earnt it. With a single parent everything is on your own sholders. The one thing I am so greatful for to get myself through being a single parent is a the government single parent incomesingle parent income to get by
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Wonderful idea but guess what? There are buggar all jobs out there!
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There are plenty of jobs for people who really work to get them – many people just have really specific ideas about what kind of work is ‘beneath’ them.
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That’s a myth.
The regional centre nearest me has a 12% unemployment rate – second highest in the country – and believe me, the jobs ‘beneath’ everyone are well and truly taken with a queue around the block and down the street.
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It’s not a myth, I vacuumed and mopped my way through uni while peers went on Youth Allowance because they didn’t want to work retail.
There may be ‘bugger-all’ jobs in regional Australia, but in Sydney it certainly isn’t a myth.
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We don’t all live in Sydney Miss, and if we did, we wouldn’t be able to pay rent on Newstart if we weren’t lucky enough to get a job straight away.
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Nor do we all live in regional Australia. In fact there are actually a few million people who do happen to live in Sydney.
I’m not suggesting you move to Sydney to find a job and I’m not suggesting I know about your financial/rental situation, I am merely commenting on my experience, which is that I did not find it hard to find a job.
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Did you have kids to drop off and pick up each day? Im thinking not. If anyone has seen any of these jobs that are 10-2 Mon-Fri with all school holidays off can you let me know?
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I’m sorry, you seem to have misread my meaning. I did not say that all single parents should get jobs right away, I merely said that there are often jobs out there! I wasn’t attacking anyone or suggesting that single parents are lazy, which you seem to have inferred.
For what it’s worth, I didn’t have children to pick up while I was working during my university days, no. However that has nothing to do with the fact that I did indeed work in a 9:30am – 2:30pm role for 3 years. In those 3 years I recruited other university friends to work with me because no one was applying for the jobs! I even moved ‘up’ and got to work from home for 3 hours each Sunday, which earned me a pretty penny…
As for letting you know about these jobs, I believe in getting out and looking for yourself, not waiting for the perfect job to fall into your lap…
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Please let’s remember to play the point not the person. Let’s not make it personal
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I believe the misreading is yours. I have to say – Im out – off from this site from now on. I find the following completely insulting: “As for letting you know about these jobs, I believe in getting out and looking for yourself, not waiting for the perfect job to fall into your lap…”. You dont know me and Im pretty willing to bet you would not make that comment face to face. Dinner party rules?
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Your original comment was ‘there are plenty of jobs for people who work to really get them’
You should have added ‘in my limited experience whilst a student in Sydney’.
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I’m dumbfounded that single parents get paid until their kids are 16! Why on earth should they? I think even paying them until their youngest is 8 is over the top. If you can’t afford to stay at home then get a job. That’s what those of us in a couple has to do. Once the youngest starts school people should stop receiving these single parent payments. After I had my baby I had no choice but to go back to work. There was no help for my family, so why is there for single people. I think it’s fabulous that the government is willing to support single parents until their children go to school but anything past that is unfair for the rest of us. It concerns me as well that these single parents who have been paid until their kids are 16 haven’t worked. Most of them would be women, they will have lost their skills and they haven’t paid much super for 16 or more years. Then as these people grow old and retire they would burden the government once again. Please don’t think I’m against disadvantaged people receiving welfare, because I’m not. I just don’t see single parents whose kids are at school as disadvantaged. If they live in regional areas and can’t get work but that’s another issue altogether.
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Within Australia as a working parent you are still entitled to child care rebate, family tax benefit, health care rebate, and medicare. It’s a bit of a stretch to say ‘there was no help for my family’, and if you aren’t receiving these benefits you should check to see if you are eligible.
I agree with your general comment that we should be encouraging independence.
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Youre right sorry I should have been more specific. When I work as well I don’t receive family tax, if I didn’t work and received family tax we would be unable to pay our mortgage. I do receive the childcare rebate which I am grateful for however if I wasn’t lucky enough to have family look after my child 2 days a week I would probably be unable to pay for childcare 5 days per week and so unable to go to work. Leaving me in a situation of receiving Family Tax and not being able to pay a mortgage. I don’t think my situation is unique either.
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Most single parents are not able to pay off a mortgage! Most can barely afford to rent either.
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I’m not surprised on $648.50 a fortnight! Hats off to those making that stretch to shelter, clothe and feed themselves and their children!
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It’s not that bad! that’s just the very base – thenadd in rent assistance, child support from the father, family tax benefit, reduced medical, cheap prescriptions, reduced utility costs, cheaper childcare etc etc – it’s not nearly as bad as it sounds when you say $648.50 per fortnight.
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Another reason why they should work
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Well I do work AND I go to Uni fulltime while looking after my son basically on my own. I wish I could work full time and not be broke all the time but at the moment any job would be very low wage and there is no way I would be able to support us. Why are people seeing this so black and white?
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My word! A mortgage AND family support to care for your children. Do you even know how lucky you are? Let’s also factor in that when you work your combined incomes mean that you don’t get Family Tax Benefit. Doing well you think???
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Actually no I wouldn’t call it ‘doing well’ thanks. I bust my ass, still struggle to put food on the table, can barely pay my bills and my mortgage is less than what rent would be. All I’m saying is that single parents shouldn’t receive special payments once their kids are at school. Not quite sure why you’re judging my personal circumstances.
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Do you have children and are you single bringing them up? If not, I”m don’t think you have any authority to comment on this. It is very hard being a sole parent with two children and any support is greatly appreciated. To go out to work and to have to put your children into Child Care sucks. Why have children and why not get support when the ahole you marry walks out and gives you not choice? Every situations is different and until you are there and walked in those shoes ‘you’ have no idea.
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Yes I have children and I have been single. As I said before I’m all for the government helping disadvantaged Australians but I don’t classify someone as disadvantaged purely because they’re single. After reading other people’s comments I’ve learned that most parents have only been getting paid til their kids are 8 anyway so I’m not sure why we are arguing this at all now. By all means receive extra payments until your kids are at school but once they’re at school why shouldn’t people work? Why should the government support these people to stay at home after they’re kids are 8? My point was that I had no choice but to return to work, and it doesn’t seem fair that others get a choice I would dearly love purely because they’re single. Does that make any sense to you?
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Yes, I agree that single people are not disadvantaged per se, however if the choice is taken away from you, then there should be support. I made the decision when I had my first child 11 years ago that I would work from home and i still do. So just because my X leaves I’m not going to go out at 47 looking for a full time job, putting my boys in child care when they need me to be home before and after school and it’s only going to get harder when they’re teenagers. They need us MORE then. You are a perfect example of someone that needs that continued support. You are the one of us who should have to go out to work but be home to look after our children. I made the choice not to have an office job ages ago and I’m not going to change that now just because I am single. We deserve to have some sort of support so that we can raise our children properly and not have them be a burden on society at a later stage if/when they get older because we as parents were not there to be there for them. This is a small cost now compared to what it could be it the future.
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That should read ‘shouldn’t’ :-\
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It’s not about being single it’s about income. Partnered parents can get parenting payment too, you know.
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I am a single mother who works full time and yes it sucks to put my kids at before and after school care, but guess what sweetness, your kids are YOUR responsibility, end of story. I consider myself lucky getting the childcare assistance but that should be it! Go and work not only to support your kids but also show them that you have to work for what you want to achieve and that no one owes them anything. How about get the dead beat dads to actually pay maintenance!
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I dont understand your point. You are telling Anita her children are her responsibility and she should go and support herself. Then you admit that you receive childcare assistance. So, the general gist I get from this whole debate is welfare / government assistance is ok if you are paying tax and have a job. If you dont pay tax and dont have a job its not ok.
So there are different rules for different people?
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I am single day with two boys age 9 and 12. Unable to work due to
mental problems. I am doing a TAFE course with open learning.
It is hard getting buy on the SPP. I cry everday. How am able to feed my kids pay the rent buy clothes and pay for meds.
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I’d love to have a job are you going to employ me. I’ll start tomorrow
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I’m a single mother who has just lost her job. I get $30 child maintenance a month from the ex and he sees the children twice a year for a couple of hours.
The job I had was part-time and because of the recession that we’re not having, according to Wayne Swansong, I’m the first to go, while full time staff are working less hours.
I need a job that allows me to work around the school holidays because I have no family to mind my children and there’s no way I’m leaving primary aged children home alone.
Being 50, I’ve seen enough Labor governments come and go to work out that this happens every single time they come to power. They’re economic vandals and the worker is nothing more than a vote for them.
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The father paying $30 month is appalling! My father never paid a cent and got away with it.
For every person telling single mums to “suck it up and get a job” there should be 50 having a go at those fathers not pulling their weight!
(and yes I know there are single fathers, in those cases please reverse gender in above statement)
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This was actually brought in by the previous coaltion government (but yes, the current Labor government is still upholding it).
I’ve generally found that the Labor governments are the ones to bring in welfare reforms, and the Liberal governments try to (or do) get rid of them. Medicare, and Parenting Payments were both Labor initiatives.
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I don’t have a problem with the allowance getting cut once the child is old enough to get themselves to school in the morning, get themselves home from school and look after themselves after school – which is at around 12/13 IMO. Trying to find a job that fits in with school hours when you have a primary school kid is near impossible and ….sorry I’m going to say this…if Julia actually had kids she probably would understand that and wouldn’t be implementing the change to this degree.
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And the question I would like to pose is…what is the Government doing to encourage more businesses to create jobs that fit in with school hours?
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Currently, the payment allows single parents to receive $648.50 a fortnight until their youngest child is 16.
That’s not true, Rick. I’ve been a single parent for years and when my son turned 8 and 3 months I had an appointment with Centrelink and was told that I was now under the direction of an employment officer and I was to actively job search for employment 15 hours or plus per week. I had to attend job search once a week for 3 hours of contact time at the centre and come up with evidence.
I was very lucky to get a job that is 25 hrs per week and my parent pension is greatly reduced (down to $175) per fortnight, so everyone is happy.
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In this respect I think it is great- if gives people. Boost to find work when they may not have necessarily had the confidence or motivation to
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Rick, to be more accurate and represent the facts a bit clearer you should have included that this policy change is to bring all single parenting payments into line with each other.
This is not a new policy to parents receiving the payment after July 2006. It has always been that way for them. This ‘ back to work” policy was introduced by the then Liberal government and the current government is making it consistant for all parents receiving the benefit. This only seems fair.
Saying that I do understand the struggles of single parenting and finding suitable work around school hours.
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I have been told that my opinion on this is a bit harsh…I am one of those people who tends to leave the opinions to those it affects, but I was a single mum with two kids for a long time, so I feel that this is one of those things I can speak on.
I really don’t see how it is as hugely bad as what everyone is saying it is. At 8, your youngest child will be in school – and not just starting school, but in grade 3. This means, while you might be paying before and after school care if needed, no full day long day care fees, which is the most expensive part of going back to work, and you have a while to work out a schedule that fits in with school/care/etc. Also, while this talks about the single parent pension, you will still get family assistance (Family tax benefit) as partnered parents do. I don’t see how 8 years is an unreasonable age, honestly. Partnered parents have the parenting payment cut off when the youngest child reaches school age, often with similar if not the same issues of returning to work that a single mother would have.
I went back to work (as a single mother) when my children were two. It was hard, yes, but I ended up in a much better position working than when I was living off the single parent pension.
I want to note that when I went back to work, I was living on the other side of the country from my family and friends, I couldnt afford a car and lived two hours out of the city. So I understand how hard it can be. I don’t think its a bad a thing as people are making out, so long as parents of children with special needs are taken care of.
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Thats because they are partnered silly and one can do what the other is not their to do.
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I think over the age of 8 a single parent should be compelled to do something productive with their time while their child is at school if they want the payment.
However, it has to be flexible. Jobs that fit with kids hours are hard to find. But that shouldn’t excuse someone to do nothing between 9am – 3pm 5 days a week. It doesn’t take all day every day to do chores and groceries.
There could be work for the payment volunteer schemes where if paid work is not available then productive volunteering is required. Or study. Something. Paid work as a preference, but volunteering or study as an option as well. I don’t believe someone with say, one 13 year old child should receive a payment and just do nothing. You could for sure volunteer in the community a couple of times a week and still fulfil even the most strident parent-must-be-there-always person’s definition of hands on parenting.
It’s not a bad idea, the over-8 thing, just needs to be more flexible.
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Do nothing between 9AM – 3PM everyday? Perhaps you have never had to run a house, I assure you single parents don’t do “nothing” all day unless a house cleans itself, meals cool themselves, groceries magically appear in the pantry
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Correct me if I’m wrong here but don’t all households need housekeeping, groceries, meals cooked etc!?! Not just single non working parents.
I’m a single mum. Ex pays zero child support. I work .80fte and do on call work as a manager. I manage to buy groceries and cook meals too amazingly enough! While working 9.30 – 4.30 every day.
Your argument doesn’t wash.
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What I said was that these chores still need to be done. It’s great that you can work these hours, however you’ve been lucky to find a job like that. Most people can’t find a job being available 24/7, let alone being available 10am – 2pm.
Most women who stay at home, regardless if they’re married or not, do most of their chores when the kids are at school. That’s the simple truth and I think to say that women do nothing all day, is often societys point of view of Stay At Home Mums and it’s simply not true
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My single mum worked 8:30 to 5:30 every weekday for my entire childhood. Until school I went to kindergarten for those hours (from a few months old) and once at school I would go to after school care in the afternoons until I was old enough to just go home.
My mum never got money from my father, the Government, or any other support.
My mother didn’t have any opportunities during the day to clean the house, do washing or cook meals… but guess what? It still got done!
Once kids are at school their parents have no more excuses and should get jobs.
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I love the way you talk about your mum with pride, she sounds like an awesome woman.
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Thank you so much for your comment, Jorie. I do respect my mum very much for the way she chose to raise me – especially given so few options, with one including the single mother’s pension.
It wasn’t easy for her by any measure – and I’m doing my best to not be a single mother myself – despite wanting to be a mother desperately. Obviously, it’s not a challenge many take on by choice (and when women do it’s by careful consideration)
But knowing friends of my mother and other mothers who’d remained on the mother’s pension until their children turned 16 before finally seeking employment, and women today who choose not to give a good impression to their children by showing a woman can do anything and doesn’t need a man or welfare, I feel very strongly about this issue x
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I specifically said chores and groceries and managing life doesn’t take from 9am to 3pm, 5 days a week. I acknowledged there were some things to be done in this time, but it is simply ridiculous to claim a single parent of one or two couldn’t find the time for flexible work or volunteering.
If you think you are so busy you couldn’t manage a short shift or two a week doing something productive like study or volunteering in exchange for the payment once your child is 8 (we are not talking about women who need to be with young ones all day here) something is wrong with your time management.
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Chores need to get done even if you have a partner to share the load. Of course it’s more difficult going it alone, but there are many of us married gals with school aged kids who work full time, cook when we get home, do the weekly shopping and cleaning on weekends. I envy the lucky ones whose partners actually pull an equal share of the load, but mine isn’t that way inclined. My hats off to those single parents who make it happen.
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This argument really annoys me. I know plenty of parents, single and partnered, who work AND manage to do the cleaning, cooking, shopping etc. Saying “oh I have to do housework all day” is just a lame excuse for sitting around when the kids are at school watching daytime TV.
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this person surely must not have kids do nothing all day yeah right 6 hours is not that much when you have to cook clean food shop wash clothes and hang,make school lunches and if you do tuckshop or other school volunteer work my 8yr old said he would hate if i wasn’t there for him after school even at his age he thinks i have a hard job at what i do at home etc oh & there is also homework which is quiet a lot to get through,so yeah us single mums already have a full-time job thanks.
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I am a single mother of a 3.5 year old – and I work – very hard.
I run my own company from home, get up at the crack of dawn to do so, receive no childcare rebate as I choose to pay for private childcare and have given up a lot to raise my child, my way and maintain maximum time with her.
All of this is my choice and I spent quite a few years structuring my company and life to support my goal of motherhood.
I’m lucky I know – and I planned well too.
Not the case for everyone. Not everyone has been able to plan, or works in an industry conducive to the changes I could make, or lives in an area where this sort of structure is possible.
How typical of this Government to slug this sector – unbelievable. While they ensure with their crazy policies and over spending that there will be less options for part time employment, let’s slug these parents struggling to raise their children and pay the ever escalating essential bills (like power & petrol) that we’ve seen blow out with the Gillard Govt and will get even worse with the CT that we were never going to have under her Prime Minstership.
You can’t un-ring a bell. These children exist. These parents will struggle. These children will suffer.
How about stopping the NBN blowout that no one is using – it would save zillions more than the $700 million this awful decision will save.
Disgusting.
And a typically ill considered bad policy by a bad Government.
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Seriously, nobody owes us anything! Yes, life is hard but fortunately there is welfare available for those who truly need it. The rest of us just have to get on with it. We all make choices all the time that point us in the direction we end up in. I would love to see more help for families with disabled children and those who are widowed, incapacitated, ill etc. The rest of us just have to suck it up. I feel for single parents who have no one to help them make decisions and share the load and the angst. However, I think it is hard for many, many of us who have partners. Especially if there is no extended family etc. It is still often down to one partner to take time off for sick children and ferry the children to after school activities if they are available. 2 working parents usually have child unfriendly hours, no school holidays etc. My husband was a student when I had our first 2 children and I went back to work after caesarians when they were 6 weeks old and managed to keep breastfeeding one. I look back and wonder how I did it. I could have gone on welfare, I suppose but would not have dreamed of it. The children didn’t suffer, it’s the parents who do that but we make choices.
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It will be good for mums to get back to work, i am sure there will be less people depressed..
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This is heartbreaking. Stupidly unfair, and for god’s sake, why not cut parenting payment to those earning over $100,000. a year? THAT makes more sense. These people are already doing the best they can!
I can’t begin to express how furious this move makes me. I am not a single mum.
I am lucky enough to have a husband who has supported me since falling ill during pregnancy, and my recovery over the last few years. During which I have studied full time to make use the time.
I also look after the children of friends who work, but can’t afford to take a day off for a sick child. One child I mind from 8am to 5pm 2 days a week on a weekly, permanent basis, for free – her mother is a single mother of four, working full-time and is constantly under the threat of not being able to feed her children. The father can’t be made to pay child support, and after school care for each child at school is $12 per day/afternoon. How the hell is she supposed to pay all that out of her pathetically underpaid wage?
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I’d love to know who gets the parenting payment while earning over $100,00/year. We earn a combined income not that much further over that amount and don’t even qualify for Child Care Benefit, FTB part A and the new $850/child payment being rolled out in this budget according to Centrelink.
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The cut ff is $112,000 if you have two kids.
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Not for Parenting Payment. Maybe for Family Tax Benefit?
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As I said, not much more. Certainly not enough to make a big difference given that the amount of payment given out at that point is negligible.
If they truly “means tested” payments they’d take rent/mortgage payments into account as well at the very least. Rent for a 3-4 bed house in our area can be as much as $700/week.
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Rental prices are absurd, but as someone who grew up sharing a bedroom with my sister (and brother for a while!) a 3-4 bedroom house is not a necessity.
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Absolutely true, however the lower end of the rental price here in $350. I kid you not, $350 for 1 or 2 bed units – and they are not always pretty either. We also have a less than 1% vacancy rate. Think not to hard about it and you realise that eventually those prices will rise too.
We’re prepared to throw money at anyone who has a child, even if they chose to despite knowing they couldn’t afford one on their own. Yet we exclude people from receiving any assitance with child care (other than the rebate), or with the cost of school supplies when they take home $1700 per week – despite the fact they may pay $600 in rent to live in a town 50ks from where they work because they can’t get a rental any closer and therefore have to add an extra $100 or more to their weekly fuel bill….then you take out the cost of food, and childcare bills and eventually you end up in a similar finiancial situation to the person sitting on their arse for $700/fortnight – plus more if they get a part time job and the government is still supplementing their income.
You see where I’m going here?
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Hi kersten, it won’t let me to reply to your comment, so I’ll reply to my own. I think we may actually kind of be barking up the same tree on this one – I thought you were suggesting that we need to allow single parents enough benefits to rent/buy a 3/4 bedroom house..
Also, without paying attention I may have hit ‘Alert Moderator’ to your post thinking it was reply… Please disregard, moderating powers-that-be (Rick?)…
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This change is only for families who started receiving payments before 2005. It is already the case that families who started after 2005 will only receive payments until the youngest child is 8.
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Okay, so they cut the parenting payment at 8, but it’s illegal to leave a child alone until the age of 12…so what’s doin?
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umm, there is school.
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Oh Anna. If only there were enough jobs out there structured for parents who had school kids under the age of 12. If you’ve seen any of the after school care set ups around the country you’d understand why many parents want to be able to collect their primary school kids after school.
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Oh how ridiculous! Have you been to many after school set ups or are you just trying to be sensationalist? Most of them would be more than fine. We’re not sending kids down to the mines, they are simply attending an after school program for a few hours. Talk about a first world problem. We are raising some of the most indulged children in the world!
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Why don’t they get a job in an after school care program? That way they can work and make sure that kids are not being used for child labour lol
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They have restricted numbers in my area…and if its illegal, then its obviously not fine
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My parents dropped me and my sister off at before-care, and collected us at after-care nearly every day of the week when I was in Primary School. This is over 20 years ago, when “programs” didn’t really exist and were basically left to play as we chose. I’d imagine they’re much mroe structured and constructive these days. We used to LOVE before and after care!
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Oh really, I’m talking about when school finishes! Oh but you’re right of course, in a low employment area any job you do manage to get will cater to your child’s schooling hours!
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As previous posters have mentioned, the budget change will only affect those parents that have been receiving the SPP since before July 06.Those parents received their payments until their youngest child turned 12, and in some cases 16. The budget will bring these parents into line with singel parents receiving the payment after July 06, whereas the SPP changed to newstart allowance when the youngest child turned 8.
I am a single parent and have been receiving the SPP since june 09 when my youngest child was 5 months old. Next year he will go to kindy for 2 day and the year after (when he is 5) he will be in full time prep and I hope to find some work. I know that finding family friendly hours is REALLY hard but out of school care is available. As a single parent i don’t think it is unreasonable for single parents to start to contribute to their own living expenses when their youngest child is 8. I have 3 children (currently 3, 5 and 9) and financially I struggle (but at the same time I am extremely greatful for a gov’t that does provide assistance). I look forward to being able to work and earning money for my children and I so we do not have to struggle financially indefinitely.
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Firstly, the welfare payments cease when the youngest child turns 8.
Secondly, why isn’t it reasonable to expect single parents to get a part time job (at a minimum) when their children are at school? I have 2 kids (not single parent) and both my husband and I work. I don’t understand what the difference is for single parents.
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Have you recently looked for part-time work in school hours? It is extremely hard to find, especially if one has been out of the workforce raising children. If one works full days, as a single parent, one needs after-school if not before-school care. Before and after-school care is expensive.
Not to mention when you’re a single parent, you’re the only one who can take days off when your kids are sick. This quickly adds up and is not popular with many employers, besides which you would soon use up paid carer’s leave and sick leave.
What about everything else that has to be accomplished to run a household? Errands, repairs, waiting for tradespeople, doing the grocery shopping, is all much easier with two parents. How can you not see the difference?
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I’m guessing because she hasn’t had to!. I haven’t either but I’ve seen enough working part time myself (since two kids under 2 arrived) with a working 24/7 husband to know that single parents do it tough financially and every other way.
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There are quite a few single mums at uni I know. I admire them studying and raising kids and making sacrifices now so they can provide better for their children in the future.
A lot if single parents need to realize they too have the option to improve their lives my getting out and studying and to stop living off tax payers.
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There are options such as Child Care Benefit & Child Care Rebates to make care more affordable.
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Yes, and they do help, but it’s still a fair chunk out of your payment if you’re on the single parent payment.
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My son is in OSHC. I’m out of pocket 2.50 per afternoon and around $10 per day in holidays. It’s not that much.
As a sole parent working part time you get full cc benifit and rebate. It’s not a large chunk out of my income at all. Long day care is, but these kids are 8!
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I only have experience of long day care.
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Personally I think there is a huge difference and I find it insensitive for you to put single parents and duel income parents in the same basket.
If u are patnered and havnt walked a mile in the shoes of a single parent, how can you justify your statements.
I am not a single parent, however I think there is an immeasurable difference in the comparison. For starters couples earn a lot more money so can afford to pay for after school care where as for a family living off one income these costs are extremely taxing. Also you have the luxury of sharing child rearing with your partner, where as a sole parent doesn’t, thus the work load of a sole parent doubling.
Your comments are uncompasionate, insensitive, judgemental and fucking rediculous.
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Try living off only one wage: yours, for a few months without dipping into the other. Maybe you will see.
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where are these part time jobs you speak of?
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I will tell you the difference. I have been on my own since before my child was born – to protect ourselves. I have been working since she was 31/2 and have had jobs where I could take her with me. Since school I have been working part time. I am also very greatful for the help so I could be there to support her (no friends to help or family). Since my child was three I have been hospitalised 5 times for migraines. She has had to fend for herself and watch me bedridden for two days every time, while I constantly throwi up. I have to take time off work when she is ill also. During this time I have studied and achieved two diplomas while working. Employers won’t employ me full time because of the shifts. I cannot not work weekends or nights. I saved for years determined to buy a house as I am so sick of moving and struggling to find cheaper accommodation. Tenants don’t usually want to share when u have a child either. U can’t just go and share with anyone so often have to pay a major expense in accomodation. I am now paying the same if not slightly less for a house which is my own., I lost the rent assistance and now will lose another $60 a week. I did not budget for that. I will have $70 a week to live on when I put money aside for rates, insurance. I am trying my best for my daughter so she can have a home. I cried at work today because i got 6 hrs work this week. The director said she will try to help me get more. If not I will look and keep looking to I don’t lose my house. I have all that pressure on my own. I couldn’t sleep last night. I am seriously worried for all children which we our support and need us to be parents not stressed out, yelling and rushing them around when we get home (like I did tonight) I got home at 7pm from work and made our
dinner. My child got to bed at 9.30 (too late, I feel). I feel for all parents and children but I do understand what its like and I cry for the single mums who are doing it alot tougher than me while trying to be loving mums.
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Well it is harder for single parents that are on their own and anyone who says otherwise have obviously never been in the situation, which most don’t have the support from anyone to help, which is extremely stressful and the costs are rediculous for after school care so you basically work to pay the care costs, how is that meant to work, it’s not worth working in the first place, I think single parents should be looked after no matter what it’s not fair
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Are they suggesting full time work only, or part time/casual? eg – you go to work – or even study possibly (?) while your kids are at school?
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Hi crystalanne83, I have two kids and taken about 18 months off work each time. They are now both at school and I work 4 days a week. Last year I worked three days a week and went back and finished a uni course. It is possible, you just need to be organised. You also have to compromise; my kids go to before and after school care three days a week but I think its worth it.
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I agree that once all your children are at school you should be out working, single or not.
The problem I see with this is how easy is it to find a job that fits in with school hours? Just because you are a single parent shoudn’t mean you don’t have the choice to be there for your kids after school.
In saying this, my mum worked as a single parent and didn’t have the option of being home with us in the afternoons and on the flip side if my partner and I were to have children now we would both probably have to continue working regardless.
I don’t think this issue is as simple as saying yes or no
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I heard on the news that it was part time work too, not just full time. If that’s the case, then it’s not unreasonable. It would be good if commencing education at that time was ok too. I think its a good thing to get out of the house and do something new. Having been on the single parents pension myself years ago, it was a big boost to my own self esteem to feel productive (even when I was at uni).
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it does include going back to school. A single mother at uni gets the full payment plus plenty of support. They usually end up with scholarships too which add about and extra $6000 per year to cover education costs not to mention JET programs which means they pay about 10c per hour for after school care or about $1 per day for long daycare if the child is <5, as well as pensioner education supplements of $30 p/w, rent assistance of $70 p/w and all the family tax rebates
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I went back to complete Year 12 when my son was 4 and then did a four year law degree. It was incredibly difficult financially so I worked three part time casual jobs during the week/ weekends. As far as finances go, I would have been struggling whether I was studying or not so the only real difference was that I had to find time to study. Ishould point out that I didn’t actually attend Uni very often because of my other committments, and I didn’t have any family or anyone to help with my son, so my grades were fairly average- but you get the same degree whether you get passes or high distinctions!
The one thing that saved me was the JET program through Centrelink. It meant that I only had to pay something like $5 per day for before and after school care. I only found out about it in my third year at Uni, when I was about to give up because it was so hard. Thankfully, I went to Centrelink to see if they could help in any way and they told me about JET- I could not believe I’d struggled so much for three years without it. If this program still exists, I encourage people to do it- it’s an incentive for people studying to better their, and their children’s, lives.
The one thing I do regret is that my little boy had to sacrifice time with his mother so we could get ahead. I won’t ever be able to make up for that lost time but we have a very comfortable lifestyle now and at least I hope I have taught him that hard work really does pay off, and that you get nothing without working for it yourself.
Here is a picture of us in Paris on the afternoon we got back from Disneyland. Our reward for me finishing my degree and successfully gaining a great job out of it (and working for two years in that job and saving!) was a one month UK/Europe holiday for just the two of us because we BOTH worked very hard and sacrificed a lot to earn it. Best holiday ever and fantastic memories for us both.
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Don’t feel guilty, you have been a wonderful role model to your child! He will not resent you for it, I guarantee.
Congratulations on all that you have achieved.
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Well done you! Your story made me tear up a little. Live happy endings:)
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Lovely photo and what a fantastic trip to take with your son. Good on both of you for achieving so much together.
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From one ‘older’ single mum, to a much younger single mum. Wonderful! What a great role model you are. Firstly for your son, and secondly, for those single parents out there who are wondering how the government’s decision is going to affect them.
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Thanks for all your lovely comments. If I knew what I was in for when I first decided to do it, I most definitely would have said no way! People can’t possibly understand how difficult it is to have a long term plan when you don’t even know how you are going to pay next week’s rent, buy new uniforms, or scrape up $10 for fuel to get to work…until they are in that position! Studying seems like such a long term goal (well, it is) but it can provide so much for one’s future. Plus, these days you can get scholarships just for being poor (nothing fancy, just to pay for books!). The help is out there, you just need to look for it. The most difficult thing to find is the motivation and the self confidence to do something to make your life better. Gosh, I sound like Oprah- forgive me!
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Wow!!! I’m in my penultimate year of law, working ONE job with a 7 month old and even with my partner’s support I’m still struggling. Thank you so much for your comment, it was exactly what I needed to read to get me through these tough few weeks of assessment. You are such an inspiration!
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Inspiration- jeepers! Thank you. If I can be so bold as to give you some smarmy advice- if you don’t have time to go to lectures, read your text book cover to cover two weeks before an exam. They rarely put anything in the exam that isn’t in the text book and if they do tell them you don’t pay hundreds of dollars to buy a flipping text book that doesn’t tell you what you need to know! Secondly, if you are going to sacrifice time with your family, or time studying, to work- make it valuable work that relates to your chosen field of study. I worked in a court house doing data entry for most of my degree and it helped me immensely when the time came to get a law related job. It’s monkey work but it looks brilliant, helps you understand practical aspects of that field AND you obtain some very useful contacts. Best of luck mate:)
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WasASingleMum, you are extraordinary.
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I am so with you re the cost of child care. I too found out in 3rd year that I didn’t have to pay more than half my income towards child care and all of a sudden I could afford to buy a few clothes (for example) and not either make clothes or accept only second hand clothes for me and my kids. Doing a degree was the best thing I did and I would highly reccomend others educate or train themselves if they’ve been out of the workforce for a while.
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This worries me slightly. Mainly if single parents do return to full time work, which lets face it, is not compatible with school hours.
Sure you can use out of school care/ grandparents etc, but SOCIALLY who is there to raise these kids. I don’t think we want loose tennagers/tweens wondering the streets bored, because their single mother/father has to work 40 hours a week to keep them fed. It just creates other social problems within the community. Governments need to stop relying on $$$ to raise a child. Single parents need community involvment/projects/health help just as much as they need food. Stopping a cycle of low income/benefits is the key here. Not simply getting people off the benefit.
I’m sure a lot of people would agree what being on a benefit is NOT an easy life and wouldn’t do it by choice.
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In the past I was always of the belief that when your children start school you should magically get a job and get off welfare.
I am now in a situation where I have a terminally ill husband as well as a 6 year old and a 5 month old baby. My husband is unable to provide any care for our children by himself so I have had to give up full time work and am in reality raising my children as a single parent although my husband is still at home.
I am trying to arrange so I can go back to work 1or 2 days per week but it is very difficult.
I am very lucky my employer has been very understanding of our situation – I am currently on maternity leave and the company will find me work around what hours I want to do while my husband is still alive and then when I become a single parent but many single parents do not have that choice.
I have no family on either side that is close and can provide assistance. My daughters primary school has no before and after school care spaces available. The best they can do is put us at the top of the list following letters from my husbands specialist, social worker etc showing that we have exceptional circumstances and we need priority. They are hoping to shuffle things for us by September.
I am on waiting lists for care for my son but again all I can do again is hope a place becomes available.
I have learnt that it is very easy to come out and say people should go back to work – I used to do that.
Who is going to provide all the before and after school care needed? You can’t leave primary age children at home alone and the services already have waiting lists.
Who is going to provide the jobs? The unemployment rate is going up and due to the limited hours of before and after school care most of these jobs are going to have to be in school hours. Employers provide work hours to suit their business as they should and the needs of a business may not be during school time.
What happens to the basic needs of the children if the parent can’t find work and the payments go down significantly? Welfare agencies such as the Salvo’s are already helping a lot of families with food and money for bills. Should they be forced to provide yet more assistance so the government can save money?
Life isn’t like a story on Today Tonight or A Current Affair. Not all single parents choose to be single. Not all single parents are spending their payments on drink and smokes. I have learnt through my own experience that most are trying to do the best they can with the limited resources they have.
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This is the perfect example of how we need to assess each family on their own unique situation rather than penalizing all. My heart just sunk when I read your post.
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I read your post and now have tears in my eyes. I wish I knew you, I wish I was your neighbour so I could bring around some dinner for you all tonight and offer to have your kids over a few afternoons a week so you could get out of the house. I can’t even imagine what pressure you are under and what you are facing, From the bottom of my heart I send you love and wish I could send you something much more helpful.
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Thank you. We are getting by but I do get scared about the future. I have seen other single parents struggle and worry about how I will cope in that situation in the future.
I would not wish my situation on my worst enemy but I have been lucky in that it has helped me find out what really matters in life which is something I hope to be able to help my children understand as they grow.
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My mum was a single parent, she worked the entire time raising 3 kids. We all went to after-school care until we were too old and BEGGED to be let home alone (around 13yrs old). It can be done, but my mum feels very guilty now that she didn’t spend much time with us – I think even working single parents need extra support. This is evidenced by the working married commenters saying it’s hard for them too…. yes, I’m sure it is, but surely it’s harder on your own.
Having said that, I have a slight problem (and it’s quite a judgement, so I’ll prepare for any backlash) with people who mention they have a large number of children and then say how much they are struggling and how they need more support. Why have so many children?? I see it on TV (albeit sensationalist programs such as todaytonight or aca, so perhaps not as common as they would lead you to believe) … someone spouting “we have 6 kids, we can barely pay the bills!”. DON’T HAVE 6 KIDS THEN! Surely you can see that supporting yourselves plus 4 is going to be a stretch.
But I am talking about couples here. If your brood was manageable as a couple but then you ended up on your own, then that’s a different story… All single parents deserve a medal. It’s a tough gig!
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Don’t have the references to back me up, but I remember reading somewhere that families from higher socioeconomic backgrounds tend to have smaller families. Also that the number of children a woman has tends to be inversely proportionate to her level of education.
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Meaning what exactly?? As someone who is 1 of 10 children with two parents with qualifications I’m intrigued by your “can’t be backed up” theory. Are you suggesting women with numerous children only have them as they aren’t educated enough to realize how hard financially that would be??
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They are not necessarily implying anything, it is a statistical fact, for our society and others (see ABS for eg data). Obviously causation is multi factorial.
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I didn’t say I couldn’t back it up, just that I didn’t have the references at time of making the comment (I was on lunch break at work). I should also have clarified that the maternal education/fertility link was in relation to developing countries.
Just doing a quick internet search I found a textbook with a chapter titled “Empirical association between education and fertility” in Critical Perspectives on Schooling and Fertility in the Developing World, by Caroline H. Bledsoe, National Research Council (U.S.). Committee on Population. As you can see from the chapter, while there is no proven causal relationship, there does tend to be an inverse relationship between maternal education and fertility.
Crack open any sociology textbook and it will tell you that statistically, children who are from a higher socioeconomic background are more likely to be successful than children from disadvantanged backgrounds. A quick search found me this quote from the US Census Bureau; “While median household income has a tendency to increase up to four persons per household, it declines thereon after.”
I am not trying to suggest or imply anything, merely adding some factoids I thought might be relevant to the topic at hand. I am well aware that there are myriad facets to this discussion and the causes of these correlations are multiple and varied, as well, statistics do not account for individuality.
If I was trying to make any kind of point it would be that children are an immense responsibility and that each child coming into the world deserves to be wanted, cherished and well-provided for.
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I used to work in the employment sector and always used to wonder about this too. I lost count of the amount of people I dealt with who had 4 children, were unemployed and were complaining about not being able to find a job because they didn’t have any qualifications.
The following was a fairly typical case: a woman has 4 children, she is complaining about how she has only ever worked in Safeway since she was 14, she has no other skills and can’t support her 4 children on a checkout chick salary. In addition, her husband has a similar minimum wage job.
I couldn’t help but think – why did you have 4 children? Did you not know it was going to be expensive? Could you not stop at 2? It’s just difficult to understand.
Meanwhile, a lot of my friends who are highly educated with “good” jobs and decent salaries always say they don’t plan on having more than 2 kids because “who can afford more than 2 kids these days.” Go figure.
Also, Jorie, your comment is definitely supported by research. Women who have lots of children tend to come from lower socio-economic backgrounds and be less educated. And before someone says “but my mum is a doctor and she has 5 kids,” needless to say, there are exceptions to this like anything else.
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Dr. Fiona Wood has 6 children.
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Its the complete opposite in my neighbourhood, people have 3, 4 and 5 kids everywhere. Mums are all educated. And isnt that the way it should be? Parents who can afford to give their kids a decent future with education and opportunities having more children.
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It is a shame that our society is so focused on FUNDS and not FAMILY!
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As a poster below said, this is getting people off the ‘grandfathered’ parenting payment i.e. those who were receiving this payment prior to January 2006. Anyone receiving the parenting payment after that date automatically went to Newstart once their child turned eight.
I managed on parenting payment and sundry other help from Centrelink whilst studying and although it was monumentally difficult at times, it has taught me to be a sound money manager now that I have a very healthy income.
Also, when it was time for me to return to work, the job agency (in my case, Mission Australia) handed over vouchers for me to visit Rockmans and Payless Shoes to buy suitable clothes for interviews. Very thankful for that. They also offered petrol vouchers and were on hand to help with resumes and job applications, so there are services out there to help those in need.
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I don’t buy all this horror of after school care. Plenty of partnered couples I know have to utilise it, as will I have to in a years time.
No access to it and its affordability is one thing. But I don’t buy the argument that this measure is unfair because (I have outlined many other reasons its crap below) you would have to send your kids to before or after schol care.
Its a far sight better than previous generation where kids just went home after school when mum and dad were at work.
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Absolutely agree. My kids used to go to ASC & they loved it. Their friends were there, they were fed, they played games, it was enjoyable. I know some parents who send their kids even if they don’t work!
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I had to use it when married to be able to work and get ahead, now I’m a single parent and I balance several casual jobs with being on carer status. I resent when people who can afford to stay home look down their noses at people who need to use various sorts of childcare. I didn’t see any benefit to the smug kids whose household revolved around them on our old street. It’s nice to be there for your kids, but they also gain from an example of a good work ethic as long as you get some quaility time.
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My daughter loves going to afterschool care. In her own words ” I get to have a play date with my friends every day after school”.
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I spent a portion of last year on the Single Parenting Payment, with two kids under 5. Let me tell you, it was not easy! I had moved to a coastal city after issues with my marriage, to be closer to my parents for assistance.
Rent was costing me $300 per week. I was receiving $150 per week from my estranged husband. This, coupled with my parenting payment, left me with about $150 per week to pay bills, put food on the table and entertain my kids. My parents were able to help me by coming to dinner once or twice a week and bringing the food. We ate meat on those days, and maybe one other during the week. The rest we lived on vegies, eggs, pasta, rice, couscous. No treats, no new toys. Clothes bought from second hand stores.
My oldest was at kindy, and luckily they had the use of a microwave so leftovers in his lunch box were able to be re-heated.
Second hand school uniforms, regardless of how untidy and faded they looked were my only option.
With a 2 year old at home and my oldest at kindy 2.5 days a week, I could not have found a regular job.
Luckily for me, and my kids, we are now a family unit again with my husband. We can now eat meat everyday if we want. We bought brand new uniforms for my son this year. He has the pleasure of being involved in football, with new boots and uniform.
NONE of this could have happened for us if we were still relying on Centrelink for our living costs.
When my youngest is 8, I will have an eleven year old aswell. If he wants to be involved in sport, after school activities and extra learning and development opportunities, how can I take on a full time job? There is no after school care available in my small country town. Daycare is limited, with few placings, and only available to children under 5 years of age.
For us as a nation to successfully raise intelligent, capable, caring children we need to be involved in their lives. We need to be PRESENT.
Taking the primary care giver out of their lives and replacing them with a paid carer is not ideal. Childcare workers are fantastic, they devote their working lives to looking after our little ones and do their best to be involved. BUT they do not come home with us. They do not come to sports on the weekend. They do not participate in our weekends, our holidays, our family events.
To expect a child of 8 to be able to grow, to be nurtured, to become a positive and active member of society without the presence of their primary carer in ALL aspects of their lives is simply ridiculous.
This is NOT about “lazy” mothers or fathers not wanting to work, this is not about reducing government debt, this is about our FUTURE.
Stupid STUPID people running our country.
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Yes, exactly.
This comment highlights the importance of putting parenting first and that is not something that is easy for single parents as it is.
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“to expect a child of 8 to be able to grow, to be nurtured, to become a positive and active member of society without the presence of their primary career in ALL aspects of their lives is simply ridiculous.” A bit of an over reaction isn’t it? I go to work (part time) & I still feel like I’m there for my 8 year old. I also don’t know why you are referring to child care workers because in this situation the government are referring to 8 year olds who are at school!
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Agree, Snap!!
KDot’s one and she knows who her primary carer is. She’ll have to go to before and after school care. What an insult that I’ll be raising some disconnected kid.
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“to expect a child of 8 to be able to grow, to be nurtured, to become a positive and active member of society without the presence of their primary career in ALL aspects of their lives is simply ridiculous”
My single “primary carer” worked 8am – 7pm until I was 16. I’m an independant, sensitive, capable, positive and active member of society. One who actively resents that comment.
Incidently, as a 30 year old woman, I have a wonderful and strong relationship with my mother, who I admire for her strength and achievements.
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I am a single mother working full time and all my children were and are involved in after school activities. They also go to after school care. And guess what.. They eat meat whenever they want! I have no family is Aussieland and have not received maintenance for 5 years. It’s hard and sometimes I wake at night in fear for the future, I had to put my dream of ever owning a home away after a near fatal accident in 2009 that took all my savings away. But my life is good, my kids are smart, happy and well balanced and I know for a FACT that them seeing me working and making the best of what we have is the best you can give children. They will grow with w sense of pride and the knowledge that they have to work for what they want and no one will hand it to them on a platter.
There is always a way if there is a will.
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I’m interested to know how they go to after-school activities if you are at work – are they old enough to go on the bus themselves? or do you have friends or family who are willing to ferry them, or a flexible after-school care service who ferries them to activities? Not everyone does, and most 8 year olds are not ready to ride a public bus to an after-school activity.
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I don’t see my child doing any after school activities in the first three years of primary school, unless they are associated with school.
Numerous people have mentioned ferrying kids to activities after school being a barrier. Maybe they can’t do them? I’m not a fan of them anyway, but if there is something they do love like swimming or a sport or dancing or whatever, there is always weekend classes option?
If I was a SAHM (I’m not) I can’t see myself voluntarily ferrying two kids to a thousand after school activities.
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I completely agree with you. I’m of the firm belief that time spent at home relaxing, making their own fun, helping out around the house and interacting with their own family is incredibly important and valuable. The notion that a child needs to be entertained every minute of the day is creating some really bad habits and social issues, IMO.
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Nope, I am alone and do it all by myself. I have an understanding boss but also, start work early in the morning, finish early and take them. Not easy, have to juggle slot and have no life but possible. One son plays soccer, one dance classes and my daughter when she was younger played basketball and dance. It’s doable.
There are things that I just can’t do, I explain it to the kids and they understand.
But can I say, I wish people were more aware and offer a bit of help if only to give me a couple of hours of peace.
Georgie, I worked hard to get to where I am and my boss knows that she can trust me and that I am reliable.
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I grew up with a single mother, no family support, just the 2 of us.
My mum is definitely not lazy and never, she’s a workaholic, unhealthily so.
Still we never had enough, and she couldn’t always get work around caring for me. If she couldn’t make it work, I don’t think it was possible.
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When this policy was first proposed six months ago, radio interviewers tried to get lefty welfare types to bite and react to the news. Mostly what they said was, that it’s much harder to re-enter the workforce after 16 years than it is after 8 years. Work isn’t the only option and study can be quite flexible. Economists on the left and right of politics agree, however, that the newstart allowance cannot support someone looking for a job. Mama Mia is having fun with Labor bashing but maybe this will turn out to be good policy and not just begging for votes.
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Agree that its far easier to find work after 8 years out of hte workforce than 16, but its EXPENSIVE. On both a personal level (cars, presentable clothes, childcare) and a government level (training, education, etc).
I will always vote labor but you can’t tell me this isn’t just cost cutting. Investment needs to be made to help people find the work!
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But they are investing in helping people get back into the workforce. They have already stated that they will be providing career counseling and covering child care costs. On top of that there are so many other initiatives that the government have introduced such as subsidised training programs etc. I think by doing some research and getting advice from Centrelink single parentswould be surprised about how much help is available. Also it’s unclear on whether they are expected to go back full time or is part time an option?
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There are such high emotions attached to this issue because right now everyone loves to hate the government. As someone who has four children and (though not a single mum) I know it is hard to find work that fits in around your children’s school, but with a youngest child at age 8, this is probably not necessary. Yes, it would be nice to be able to be a stay at home mum forever but it is the economy and the events that caused the single-parenthood that need to be blamed, not the government.
People should work for their money if they are able. Is good for their own financial security, as well as emotionally. With a youngest child at age 8, I don’t see that it should be a problem to work a few days a week (even if its at the local grocery store) especially with the government providing a newstart program to help.
We have a government that supports its single mums until their kids are all well into their primary school years.. This is a rare and wonderful thing that we need to realise.
Besides that, Caring for the single mums is not just a government responsibility. It’s a community responsibility. How many of these people crying out for the poor single mums has ever offered to help mind their kids after school or take them to the park with your own kids? I think the government has done and continues to do a great work in looking after our low income and single families. Why else would they be called the Robin Hood of governments? Take a look at your own attitudes and take some action yourselves people.
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How is it not necessary to work around school hrs at age 8? I’m a pretty free-range mum but I wouldn’t let my 8 year old walk home from school by herself and be alone until 6pm, the normal time I’d get home if I worked a full-time job.
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Because there are other options- like after school care, friends ( swapping days works well), neighbours and often family can help. These are things mums have been utilising for years! Why can’t these be an option. Of course I’m not suggesting leaving kids at age 8 home alone. But there are options. Even two parent families use these all the time- not many dads I know have flexibility to home for school pick up. All mums need to get proactive and creative. Single or not.
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I will try my best to do this justice…
I believe that Australia has become a little welfare expectant. I am living in the US, and social security is just not something you hear a lot about – because there isn’t much. Disability, aged pension and short-term unemployment benefits is about all it covers. I’m not saying it’s right. But in comparison, it’s a lot less than we are used to expecting.
I agree that mothers should be aided and encouraged to rejoin the workforce. But it shouldn’t be under the guise of saving the government money. What the government saves in payments should be put straight back into training, before and after school care and educating larger businesses about being flexible with employees who are parents. Perhaps even an initiative involving bonuses given to companies who employ school-hours mothers, or offer on-site child care, or something similar.
What bugs me is that when governments wish to save money on welfare, they take it away (or never give it to start with) from the groups who will eventually give back to society. Anyone who has gone to university/TAFE and tried to get Youth Allowance for study will understand the frustration of feeling not respected even though you will eventually give back much more than you take. Children are the future of our society. It is most healthy for them to see their parents working, but it is far more damaging to have them suffer due to a lack of finances.
Unemployment benefits (true unemployment, not disability/carers/aged pension/single parents) are necessary. But they should not be a long term solution or a lifestyle. Gradually phasing out long term reliance on them would be much more beneficial to the economy than targeting parents (and, additionally, students).
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I forgot to mention as well that I think they should raise the earnings threshold (I forgot what it’s called) for single parents. If they are going to get payments cut as soon as they earn $100, why bother working? Allowing them to supplement their allowance, rather than replace it, would be a much better way to encourage people to try to get even part-time work.
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Yes. While my son was young and I started working again, I actually made less once you factored in childcare, petrol, etc because they penalise you at such a low level of earnings.
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It’s an interesting problem Rick and I’m glad you’ve written about it here. The thing is, from my perspective, this policy would probably be fine if the economy was in better shape and rates of unemployment were falling.
HOWEVER, that is not our current reality. It is becoming more difficult to find a job with every month that passes, especially part time jobs where the hours often suit single parents better so they can avoid the costs of before and after school care. Add to this the extra company tax and additional super costs employers will be paying in the near future and we can expect the rates of unemployment to climb even higher. Wages will freeze in many business to absorb these costs and employers will be unlikely to be looking at putting on more staff in the foreseeable future.
For this single parent policy to be feasible, it needs to be introduced in a stronger economy. Add this policy to the increasing cost of living we are all facing (not to mention an environment where the carbon tax is yet to be introduced by will drive up the cost of many essential services even more) and it is a recipe for disaster.
This government don’t seem to be aware of the interactions their policy decisions are having in the real world and that people are and will be suffering across the board as a result.
In this instance the government could actually be creating a new underclass and driving more parents and children into poverty.
When I see things like this I truly wonder what the Labor party has become and what they actually do stand for.
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My Mum was (is) a single parent. When I was in primary school, she got the single parent’s pension, but also worked during school hours so that she was home when my brother and I were. We did go to after school care when necessary, but for the most part, she was around. The other alternative was working shift hours as a nurse with two young children and not a lot of family support in the area. She went back to nursing when I was in high school and my brother late primary.
We did it tough, and I realise now how hard it must have been for her but I appreciate the fact that she was constantly there for us and it was a good influence on our childhood. I can’t imagine that safety net being taken away with kids at the age of 8. If anything, maybe once the youngest reaches high school would be more appropriate. But I think this would hurt more people than it helps.
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Single parent here and been working since my daughter was 4 months. Out of neccisity. My rent is 300 per week, and it’s for a run down place in a bad suburb. Could not afford to live without working.
I’m also quite lucky that I have a high paying job, with a pretty flexible boss. It has allowed me to study part time as well, as work full time.
In saying that, I was out of the workforce for 2 months awhile back, and got in tremendous financial difficulty.
It’s a choice I make to work, but I do this because I can’t stand to be on welfare, and I have become accustomed to a certain lifestyle. In saying that, I think it is fair parents should go back to work when they have a school aged child.
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This may be the one thing that buries this Government – and some of us had high hopes for our 1st female Prime Minister who must surely battle daily those hardened old misogynists who spew bile at the thought of having a female leader………this is going to seriously hurt – the wrong people…….
Children will be the ones who suffer and in 10-15yrs we’ll see it’s devastating effects in juvenile crime and drop-out rates and drug & alcohol use and – well, you must get the picture………..no child ever thanks you for not having enough money or time or resources to raise them properly…..after the age of 8yrs the expenses of child-raising triple and the kind of employment available to parents who’ve been out of the workforce for at least 8yrs can be very limited……people need MORE help in raising a child not less…..better quality childcare, better quality education, better quality assistance in housing, health and special needs……..how do compromised people improve their children’s lives with LESS money ?…….where do 8yr olds go after school when their sole parent is at work ?…….”Madness takes it’s toll “……..seriously.
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Where do 8yrs olds go after school when their single parents is at work? Probably the same place a child goes to when both his/her parents are at work (and also trying to make ends meet).
ALL parents need additional resources in helping to raise our next generation. Childcare, education, housing, health and special needs etc. I feel for sole parents (and I was one myself for 3 years), but as a full time working mother with 3 children I do not qualify for any additional assistance and we struggle weekly to make ends meet.
In saying that, I love working and I am raising my children to understand a healthy work ethic. I would not want for my children to grow up with the belief that the world or the government owes them a living.
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Before and after school care isnt cheap. Besides, if they feel they dont want their childrens primary school years spent in care from early in the morning until late after school, that is their right too. Its sad that the metality is that poor people dont deserve to parent their children the way of their choice. This goes for all families, not just single parent.
Sure, working can help children, especially in families where there is plenty of support with both parents or grandparents involved, understand a healthy work ethic. But for many stressed single parent families with no additional support, it can mean family life has no quality and is rushed and children whose parent doesnt have time to supervise homework, kids who get home too late to do their homework and whose parent isnt around to be involved in their kids lives.
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Lu, before and after school care is the same price for everyone. Compared to chld care, it is well priced. I think people are overestimating how much help it can be to have two parents. How many dads are able to care for their kids after school? A handful who work shifts or work from home. It’s not that easy for any of us. Single parents and two-parent families both find it tough.
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Yes. Why is this a valid choice for partnered parents (to have a parent there for the child/ren) but not for single parents?
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Well said. I agree with you completely. (as I have outlined in my post). I have four kids but a husband who has an income. Is he able to help in the afternoons or before school? No because he’s working trying to earn money to keep us barely afloat. I have no option but to find work now and my youngest is 3. I have the same issues- trying to find child friendly work hours and after school care etc. In no way do I think it is the governments responsibility to fix our situation. I will make decisions in the best interest of my children every time. The best decision I can make is to work part timeto give them opportunities for a quality lifestyle. (meaning being able to go the movies occasionally and possibly have a holiday once in a while.)
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………..no child ever thanks you for not having enough money or time or resources to raise them properly
I look back at my parents who struggled to raise me during the 80′s with mum only working part time, Dad off work with illness and high interest rates and do you know what I think, I thank them for doing the best they could with what little money they had.
Children don’t need money they need love and care
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I’ve been on ‘maternity leave’ for 14 months. And I enjoy it. But I’d like to go to work. I live in a regional capital city and CAN’T EVEN GET AN INTERVIEW. I’m well educated and have plenty of experience. I know that for one job there were 100 applicants for a 2 day-a-week job. The plan is great, but if you can’t get work what are you supposed to do?
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I’ve had the same experience Ana. It’s very depressing … and if the government starts cutting out your entitlements when you really have no choice, they’re just kicking you when you’re down.
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I am not a single parent. I just can’t help but feel that government policy forgets the children. It is as if they are cattle…so long as they are fed and watered and have some supervision that all is fine. While this generally might be true as a mother myself I believe I am the best person (thankfully together with my husband) to provide the loving care and support for our own children and yes that means before and after school and at weekends. I think particularly the role of a parent is not valued in so much as we can seemingly easily be replaced with long daycare, preschool and or before and after school care. I am not saying that these examples don’t provide a wonderful service but why does everybody feel it is fine for our children to be continually supervised outside of the home environment. We certainly did not want children to have to then outsource their care all of the time. Parents want to be there for their children. I understand that many have no choice but to work but we are now also raising our children in a society that seems to think that it is entirely necessary to have two incomes and stressed exhausted parents working long hours to keep the family unit afloat. If it is not the fastest speed on the treadmill then we are failing and it is a race that can’t really be won. I just feel sad and frustrated that this is the reality now. Value our children, value the job parents do and yes by all means encourage participation in the work force but single parents have enough on their plates. I am not sure what the solutions are for workiing outside of the home and sole parenting. I am fortunate to have flexible work hours so I can pick and choose the shifts I do to fit around my family but not everybody has that. I just think that we need to get back to basics valuing a stable home life for all children and cherishing the role of parents for now and for the future.
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Wow you just summarised all the thoughts in my head in a much better than I would have!
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love your comment…
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“We certainly did not want children to have to then outsource their care all of the time”. I’m sorry, but don’t have them then… If you can’t afford them, stop having kids! Our society is far too welfare focused and entitled.
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It is the responsibility of the parents to look after the kids, not the government’s.
Welfare to people in need, particularly those with children in the early stages of marriage breakdown, should be relatively easy to get, but both parents should be financially responsible for the children, not the taxpayer. As soon as the custodial parent is able to get a job, they should and not sponge off society.
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This is a complex issue that in an ideal world would be resolved on a case by case basis. Many stay at home single parents will have a great deal of difficulty finding work, as several years out of the workforce leaves a pretty massive hole in the CV. Is funding being allocated to give these people training or work experience in a position that could help them find paid (meaningful) work? I doubt it.
On the flip side, I think at 16 the kids themselves can have part time jobs, so supporting their parents to not work while their children are close to adulthood is a bit much. I would think 12 (ie. starting high school) is a more sensible age. They can get themselves to and from school by this age, and are able to spend a couple of hours unsupervised while their parents finish their work day. At 8 the kids still need supervision, so quite a bit of the parents pay packet will be blown on before and after school care.
I’m not a parent, and I’ve never been out of work, so I haven’t experienced what it would be like to live on welfare, but I do believe on this issue there must be a middle ground.
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I don’t mind the idea of going back to work but I have to find something that fits in with school hours. I am not a professional so whatever I find won’t be highly paid ( I used to work in events but the hours are not child friendly at all) and I will have to be super organised.
My child is two and like most of us, I didn’t plan on being a single parent. My child’s father has not been paying child support but I still pay tax on the assumption that he pays x per year. It’s not a great deal to live on but I can as I live out of Sydney and own a home. God knows how anyone pays rent and lives on single parents pension.
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At this rate school kids will be in are more than they are at home with a parent, 1&1/2 hours at before school care, 6 odd hours at school, 2 hours at after school care, then home for dinner and bed, 5 days a week. Leaves little time for these kids to have after school activities like dancing or sport, most sports play games on weekend and train during the week. Seems more unfair on the kids than the parents, these kids will miss out on a lot.
I am a single mother on the pension, I get belittled for it all the time. I left an abusive mentally unwell man to give my child a better life, I will work more than I will see my child. I don’t want to be on benefits my whole life, I want to work and better our lives, but I need a job that isn’t going to keep me away from my child and put her in more outside are than the time she’d have with me. I want to parent my child not pay others to do it for me so I can work for a minimal wage
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so I don’t understand what you think the solution is?
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I would like to know how on earth anyone could raise a family on that amount of money? People have so many excuses for not working and at the end of the day I believe you are being a good role model for your children if you are working. As a working single mother, I still play with my children they are still fed homecooked meals and homework done, my house is clean and the is washing done. They are happy confident little individuals that are able to do sports and music but if I didnt work I wouldnt even be able to cloth and feed them on that paltry sum let alone pay the mortgage and bills.
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Helps if you get the facts straight. The first paragraph of the article is incorrect.
This only impacts on customers who were current on Parenting Payment Single prior to 1st July 2006. These customers became “grandfathered” and were able to receive the pension until their youngest turned 16. People who became single parents after 1st July 2006 were able to receive the pension until their youngest turned 8 and then they were transferred to Newstart. This isn’t a new initiative!!! It started in 2006 under the Howard government. The only change is that people in the exact same set of circumstances will be treated equally and receive the same amount of money.
Customers receiving the pension are already required to “participate” when their youngest turns 7 so (in theory) they are already looking for work, studying etc. Yes Newstart is less than the pension but every single person since 1st July 2006 has had to transfer to the lesser payment. Now the payments are equitable.
I also notice that the article doesn’t mention that there are similar changes which impacts on those receiving the partnered rate of Parenting Payment. They will be transferred to Newstart when their youngest is 6 but they’re partnered so that makes it better?
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I wondered about that, but thought I must’ve been dreaming that sole parent payments were stopped after the youngest turned 8. Thanks for clearing that up.
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