SINGLE MUMS, FAMILIES AND PENSIONERS ARE TIPPED TO HAVE THEIR WELFARE PAYMENTS SLASHED. THE COURIER-MAIL
TENS of thousands of families, pensioners, single parents and carers will have their welfare payments slashed in a tough-love federal Budget crackdown.
And all single jobless mums and dads will have their payments axed when their youngest child turns eight, to force them back to work.
It means about 100,000 single parents will lose protection that allowed them to keep the payment until their youngest turned 16.
Do you think this is fair? Tell us below
Opposition Leader Tony Abbott questioned whether the Federal Government would go through with cuts.
“I’m in favour of people working wherever possible,” Mr Abbott said on the Nine Network.
“I think that if you’re fit and young you should work, preferably you should work for a wage, but if not you should work for the dole.
“I will believe it when I see it. This is a Government which often talks tough but rarely delivers.”
Shadow Treasurer Joe Hockey said the federal government should focus more on cutting the public service rather than targeting welfare recipients.
“They seem to take a baseball bat to everyone out there, but the public service in Canberra has increased by nearly 20,000 since Labor was elected,” he told the Seven Network.
“I want to see them start reducing the size of their own business their own home rather than punishing people out there all the time.”
Labor frontbencher Tony Burke said the measure would tackle inter-generational unemployment.
People who will have welfare benefits cut
“It is good policy. It doesn’t just make a difference for them and a difference for the economy, it makes a real difference to avoid situations of inter-generational unemployment,” he said.
“That’s not to say juggling children eight years and above isn’t working flat-out at home.
“There’s a lot of additional work that they’re doing but it is still a better situation if we can encourage them to find a way into the workforce as well.”
People getting Family Tax Benefit A and B are among those being squeezed by the Budget razor gang.
Ministers have decided people receiving welfare should not have an overseas trip subsidised by taxpayers, and the new rules from January 1 will reap tens of millions of dollars.
The Government is expected to argue the cut will ease the pressure to make harsher cuts on spending for low and middle-income families who cannot afford an overseas holiday.
About 25,000 people receiving family tax benefits spend more than six weeks a year overseas.
Depending on their income and the number of children, they can lose as much as $160 a fortnight, though the typical loss might be about $110.
The hit list includes more than 8000 disability support pensioners who will lose $755.50 a fortnight, but those with a severe and permanent disability will be exempt.
Age pensions will not be touched, with ministers deciding that “grey nomads” have paid their taxes and deserve to enjoy their travel. Many pensioners born overseas also go back to their home country.
But pensioners will lose telephone, mobility and utilities allowances, which can be worth up to $160 a quarter, because they are not at home.
The seniors supplement for Commonwealth seniors health card holders will also be cut.
The existing 13-week restriction on overseas travel has been judged excessive and six weeks will be set as enough time for Australians to be overseas and still receive welfare.
It is believed the Budget axe will not hit people caught overseas longer than six weeks because of exceptional circumstances, such as illness.
- with Simon Benson, AAP
Andrea
May 5, 2012 at 10:15 pm
Well i am a single mother and i do not believe you shouldbe able to take these wonderful holidays at all. The money recieved is to help you raise your children. This money shouldnt be spent on holiday; instead why not use it to further the childrens edecation so they will not end up in the same position we have. As for cutting the payments after 8 years old that is just rediculous. What is the governemnt thinking. The children 8 and over will be suffereing poverty if that ever happens. If people are not working and there is no money these children will also miss out. The governement needs to seriously think about this and how this will affect the economy. Will the crime rate rise, we will need to feed our children. I would think it is better to have befifits continue than have thousands of children suffer.
lynette howell
May 6, 2012 at 2:24 pm
I / should be / shouldn’t / received / children’s / education / ridiculous / suffering / Government / benefits /
Apart from a few spelling mistakes, some punctuation wouldn’t go astray. Maybe parents who want to help their children learn, should go back to school and learn first, (if they don’t want to work).
Just a suggestion, from an always working single mother of 28 years.
Also, typing one handed at the moment due to injury. I think working single mothers, show good work ethics and morals to their children. They also realise nothing is for free, this then teaches the children, you can have as little, or as much from life depending on how much you put into it. Not everyone wants everything, not everyone wants a career, at least we are given the choice.
e carter
May 5, 2012 at 10:35 pm
If you want to have kids be resposible and be prepared not expect welfare to pay you way
Shell
May 6, 2012 at 11:18 am
I was very prepard for having my son. Was i ment to have millions ‘just in case’ when my partner left me when our son was diagnosed with Autism so i wouldnthave to rely on these payments? Yes i agree alot of parents have kids so they can receive these hand outs and not work but do remember, there are alot people who havent been able to do anything about the situation they are in.
Shamarie
May 5, 2012 at 11:17 pm
When will society finally realise that raising children is work and it is valid work!
Geraldine Checker
May 6, 2012 at 10:54 am
This is the most rediculous idea I’ve heard come from this government yet. Single parents out there be it a mother or a father doing it alone are already trying to live on bare bones struggling to pay for the necessities of life. Try cutting income for the many fat cats out there who have cooshy jobs and know how to dodge tax etc., etc. What about displaced government employees who are sitting in offices killing time and not being productive – try cutting their wages and/or benefits. Maybe some of the politicians could cut back on their fancy dinners and travel and chauffers and start driving themselves or heaven forbid catch public transport!!!! Focus on reality and what life is really like for many, many struggling people. It’s easy to make decisions when they don’t affect you. Many you make me mad!!! And NO I am not a single parent thank goodness.
Working Parents with young children and not taking any Government assistance for our choices
May 6, 2012 at 1:28 pm
I know that some (and I ephasise some) single parents are making more on benefits that those people who go out and work fulltime, so I understand that this decision will anger them. Why do most expect to have kids and then get the handouts that they do? Why can’t they go out and work, at the very least during school hours? The kid/s should be at school anyway. Some will just go and have another child and the taxpaying public will still have to support the family. People choose to have children and should be prepared for all the responsibilities that it involves, including providing for them financially. Working parents have to struggle and balance priorities too to provide for their families and there isn’t many families going on overseas holidays or can even afford holidays at all, but they cope without relying on the government handouts that are all too easy to get in this country. Everyone should considers themselves lucky to live in Australia and it really is the lucky country and we all have so much to be grateful for. Not every country has these handouts for this, that and everything all because you chose to have children and not work, medical, utilities, rent, large payment etc. They are getting more benefits than an aged pensionser who has no doubt paid 50 years of taxes during their working lives and more than double any person who receives unemployment benefits because they lost their job in the current financial climate and struggles to pay a mortgage and they have to deal with Centrelink’s strict requirements and that of Job Network providers in their time of struggle while these parents don’t have to do anything, but have a child or children.
While this is my opinion and there will me many who disagree, there will be those who agress, but are too afraid to voice their opinion because of the backlash and the haters. This is written to make people think about their life choices and that everyone has struggles to deal with. You are not the only one.
Laauren
May 6, 2012 at 2:55 pm
I think it’s fine, as a working Mum who pays my taxes, I’ve watched my older sister in her 30′s, NEVER have a job, drink & drug her money away.Get cheaper housing, get this and that for free, food parcels etc. Just because she wastes her money on the wrong things. You would think she would be mother of the year with all the time she gets paid to be with her kids! The government is paying the jobless to party instead of getting a good work ethic and making their own lives. Too easy money. They should look closer into peoples lives and only give to those doing the right thing not ripping of all the support networks.
k. kaminski
May 14, 2012 at 7:50 pm
What gets me is we are single mums seem singled out. As mums forced to go to work. I have a special needs child. If i’m not at appiontments. I’m picking one or both kids up from school. Due to illness or problems with the schooling system. You know it is easy to say”oh stop winghing. “” your not in the other persons shoes. I have no parents they are both dead. My ex ran off with another women, to another state. I am alone her raising my two. Please get off your high horse. No amount of planning can make it happen. I know at my age and I have tried to work. You can not hold down a job and raise happy, healthy, kids. Specially when one is special needs. You need a good support system, which in regards to care. There is bloody none, that can manage my child. Then trying to support them . Also they raise it to help with payment to specialists, then take it away from you? holidays. Omg… i haven’t been on a holiday in years. I can not even go to movies or fetes or things like that. My money goes towards, bills and doctors! How is it fair forcing single mpothers out into the work force. When my rent and child care would take up all I earn. there would be no money for doctors, food or even bills. I am not expecting a free ride and worked most of my life. To sit there and pre-judge everyone and paint them all with the same brush is sickening!I dont smoke or drink and hold a security license, but can not do nothing with my skills, with no help!!!!. If they do cut my pension, its not me that suffers it is my children. they force me to work? Who is responsable if my child runs away from school, as i am not there when he is truma?! Helping battlers? what a joke.!
Helen
May 15, 2012 at 4:00 pm
I am a single mother and immigrant from Europe. I can’t afford oversease holidays every year, as flights to Europe cost a fortune (2000$)and for 3 of us it is $6000 so I do it once in 3 years but go for a long time. I see this move with cutting oversease holiday time, government will discriminate against immigrants, as we go overseas for our families. My kids can not see their nanas and pops every weekend as Aussi families do and now they will see them even less then once in 3 years. Yeh, make our life even harder… It is not enough that we immigrants have no family support here(no babysitting, no financial support), so make us prisoners inside of the country as well.
Helen
May 15, 2012 at 4:04 pm
If anybody here will want to make a comments about immigrants, just remember where you came from… unless you are of Aboriginal decent. Difference between you and me, that you came earlier… that is all.