Find a job, Jenny Macklin tells single parents whose benefits are being slashed

    by: PIA AKERMAN and MILANDA ROUT
    From: The Australian
    January 01, 2013

   

FAMILIES Minister Jenny Macklin has urged single parents whose benefits have been slashed from today to find a job and show their children a strong work ethic.    

Tighter restraints on the parenting payment will see around 80,000 single parents, mainly mothers, forced off their pension and moved on to the dole once their youngest child has turned eight, leaving the families up to $223 a fortnight worse off.   

Ms Macklin today defended the changes, saying there was evidence this would prompt more single parents to get back to work.

“Unfortunately we have far too many people - children growing up in Australia in families where nobody is working,” she said. “The more that people go back to work, the better.

“It's better for the family, it's great for the kids to see mum and/or dad, or both, going to work.”


The Australian Council of Social Service and National Welfare Rights Network say reducing access to the parenting payment will have “the greatest impact on people trying to survive on low incomes”.    

The measures will claw back $728 million in budget savings over four years.

“Single parents will see a cut of between $60 and $110 per week. This will have a devastating impact on single parent families and their children,” said ACOSS head Dr Cassandra Goldie.    

“These families are already struggling as they live below the poverty line.

“Newstart is paid at a much lower rate than parenting payment. These cuts should be delayed until Newstart is increased.”    

National Welfare Rights Network vice president Kate Beaumont also said students will be hit by government changes to Austudy.

“Many young people face ongoing financial difficulties and severe financial stress,” she said. “Low rates of payments add weight to calls from business, welfare groups, the ACTU and the OECD to increase unemployment and student payments by $50 a week.”

“Newstart is paid at a much lower rate than parenting payment. These cuts should be delayed until Newstart is increased.”    

Quote:


I agree new start should be increased especially since rents are so high.....However having a job is still the best security and provides the most opportunities for the future.....I think the Coalition will not wind this back if they win Government!!!

This is why people should vote for the Australian Greens.  They support a $50 a week increase, for the people that are on New start ( No start )    

[quote author=philperth2010 link=1357008448/1#1 date=1357009011][quote]Tighter restraints on the parenting payment will see around 80,000 single parents, mainly mothers, forced off their pension and moved on to the dole [highlight]once their youngest child has turned eight[/highlight], leaving the families up to $223 a fortnight worse off.[/quote]

Why shouldn't parents go to work once the kids are all at school fulltime.....I see no valid reason why these people cannot work!!!

:-? :-? :-?[/quote]

It is fine if you believe raising children isn't a full time job and don't mind Australia raising a generation of latchkey kids wandering the streets getting into mischief.

I'm sick to death of politicians who place no value on parenting and believe the only work of any value is paid work.

You expect that sort of crap from the Libs, but Labor should know better.

Peter Freedman wrote on Jan 1^st, 2013 at 2:09pm:


To be fair, Peter, welfare dependency in Australia is a massive problem. I get your point, and I agree with it, but I'm not sure that's an accurate assessment of Jenny's position.

philperth2010 wrote on Jan 1^st, 2013 at 12:56pm:


totally agree. there is zero reason not to be made to work. The rest of us have to do that so why dont they?

lazy is the only excuse.