axing single parent payments??

Hi!!!

I haven't got all the info but im not sure about the gillard govt lowering the single parent benefits by $130 a fortnight.

I dont see how lowering the payment and axing it when the youngest is eight years old is going to help the parents get into the workforce. Some child care places charge up to $80 a day. How can a woman who's been out of work for eight years score a job where she can keep up with her bills AND fork out $80 a day for child care?

Myself and other women I know who have partners not only find it hard to get a job but also to get one that covers day care costs and still contributes to household income. One friend in particular wants to go back to work but to put her two children in daycare will cost $70 a day. There aren't any full or part time jobs for unqualified employees that pay much more than that.

Just seems like its backwards to me.

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Aren't the kids at school by the time they are 8?

Aren't the kids at school by the time they are 8?

Yes but school still costs money.
And getting into the workforce earlier than five means day care.

I was told by centrelink that they were doing this when the oldest child is 8 years old, quite a shock as my oldest is 8 in october, i have 2 very young children and will need daycare, what about all the parents out there that will give birth around the same time their oldest is 8, what about people who live in a small country town like i do that cannot get daycare because there is a 2 year+ waiting list, how in general are people going to survive without payments whilst everything is risng in expense, and how can Julia Gillard justify doing this to australian citizens when people keep coming to our country on a boat and getting accepted into our country, they are paying families to house immigrants....why in the world would we put some stranger in our house who knows what these people are capable of....as for lowering our payments seriously, the question here is why oh why is she so stupid....kick her out of government she is a nusance to our society, if she stays in government we will end up having families on the street because they cannot afford anything

I was told by centrelink that they were doing this when the oldest child is 8 years old, quite a shock as my oldest is 8 in october, i have 2 very young children and will need daycare, what about all the parents out there that will give birth around the same time their oldest is 8, what about people who live in a small country town like i do that cannot get daycare because there is a 2 year+ waiting list, how in general are people going to survive without payments whilst everything is risng in expense, and how can Julia Gillard justify doing this to australian citizens when people keep coming to our country on a boat and getting accepted into our country, they are paying families to house immigrants....why in the world would we put some stranger in our house who knows what these people are capable of....as for lowering our payments seriously, the question here is why oh why is she so stupid....kick her out of government she is a nusance to our society, if she stays in government we will end up having families on the street because they cannot afford anything

It's when your youngest is 8 love. And when you look at the millions it will save, I'm actually all for it. Completely irrelevant to the refugee issue (which you're obviously not very educated on).

Like pp said- at 8 years old you're child will be at school. Ofcourse school cost money but they're going to school regardless of whether you're working or not. If you choose to return to the workforce before your youngest is 5 and at school and require child care for younger children then that's irrelevant of your payments being cut in 3 years time imo.

I say good on them. There is too many dole bludgers around these days. There wasn't any Government benefits 10-20 years ago and people survived. And no I'm not talking about everyone who is on Centrelink benefits. Working during school hours when your kids are in school is doable. I might get blasted but this is my opinion.

Yes but school still costs money.
And getting into the workforce earlier than five means day care.

It's the age of your youngest child... So if your youngest is 8 your payments get lowered... So no daycare needed! Yes school cost money but if you work the cost of a public education over a year, maybe $20 a week if your lucky!!

Someone else mentioned, what happens if you are about to have another baby: we'll usually you would be on a partnered parenting payment not single parenting (usually)

At the moment if your youngest is older then 6 and you are receiving single parenting payment you are obligated to meet 15hours of work/ study a week to recieve your payment!

What's the big deal with encouraging ppl to work and better themselves? Why should the gov pay for woman to sit at home doing nothing while their kids are in school?
The cutting back payment makes sense to me!

Normally I am all for cutting welfare back for the minority of people who make it a lifestyle choice.

But in this case I I just don't think this is the right answer. It basically gives those who are doing the wrong thing with welfare an excuse to go and have more kids. My understanding is it's when your YOUNGEST turns 8, not your oldest.

I think mums being home with their children (even when at school age) is a wonderful and important thing. Not that we are on welfare, but my kids are 6 and 7. They are in such important years of school and I love that after a day at school I am there to pick them up, have afternoon tea together and chat about their day and for them to decompress. We have our own business so I am lucky and can work school hours, however there aren't a lot of 'school hour' jobs floating around in this economic climate.

how can Julia Gillard justify doing this to australian citizens when people keep coming to our country on a boat and getting accepted into our country, they are paying families to house immigrants....why in the world would we put some stranger in our house who knows what these people are capable of....

This has absolutely nothing to do with this topic. Australia is actually spending a tiny amount of money on foreign aid and refugees compared to other countries. The reason why countries help other countries in need is to a.) reduce the numbers of refugees b.) because it's the right thing to do, and they would like to be helped if they found themselves in similar circumstances (look at Japan - a prosperous country, and yet they needed help after the earthquake and the subsequent tsunami).
Housing refugees with Australian families makes sense economically - it's much cheaper than locking them up - and it would help them integrate into the society and teach them our culture.
I know exactly what those "strangers" are capable of - love, hard work, appreciation, kindness - just like any other HUMAN BEING!


As for the single parent payments - I guess they're trying to get people off the payments and get them back into the workforce - and there's nothing wrong with that. However... are they going to provide training for those parents so they can actually get jobs? How are those parents supposed to pay for childcare/out of school hours care? It's not that easy to get a 9-3:30 job, that allows you to take time off every time your child is sick. What if those people don't have any support systems?

This has absolutely nothing to do with this topic. Australia is actually spending a tiny amount of money on foreign aid and refugees compared to other countries. The reason why countries help other countries in need is to a.) reduce the numbers of refugees b.) because it's the right thing to do, and they would like to be helped if they found themselves in similar circumstances (look at Japan - a prosperous country, and yet they needed help after the earthquake and the subsequent tsunami).
Housing refugees with Australian families makes sense economically - it's much cheaper than locking them up - and it would help them integrate into the society and teach them our culture.
I know exactly what those "strangers" are capable of - love, hard work, appreciation, kindness - just like any other HUMAN BEING!


As for the single parent payments - I guess they're trying to get people off the payments and get them back into the workforce - and there's nothing wrong with that. However... are they going to provide training for those parents so they can actually get jobs? How are those parents supposed to pay for childcare/out of school hours care? It's not that easy to get a 9-3:30 job, that allows you to take time off every time your child is sick. What if those people don't have any support systems?

CCB is also available for before and after school care!! So if the mum is in a job paying $40k a year, before and after school care cost next to nothing!!!

Ppl on payments already recieve TAFE courses at no cost as job service providers pay for the course and often the materials!! LOTS of help out there!!!