Government & Politics

Baby Bonus Kafuffle

Government & Politics

Posted by: SanyiZ

28th Oct 2012 03:02pm

We didn't always have a baby bonus in Australia, but since we have had it, there seem to be more single motheres with 2 or more kids. I think the bonus should only be paid to people who work and are families. For example a husband works and the wife works part time or is at home full time. I don't think we should be supporting people who seem to have kids just so they don't have to work. We didn't get a bonus when our son was born, and we coped! I think there needs to be more reform, and questions should be asked about why they keep having kids and don't have a partner! What does everyone else think?

Comments 10

shucheryl
  • 12th Nov 2012 03:38pm

I agree - I have 22 year old nieces who have friends that are having babies urged on by the baby bonus. They get told that they could do the same - lucky for us they are smart girls who know how tough bring up the little one are.
We have alot of support out there as it is - the baby bonus is over kill and sends the wrong message.

ozziedigger
  • 3rd Nov 2012 04:14pm

I suppose the baby bonus was given so as to make life easier for some ,but mainly to gain votes. I would like to have seen it go to a public vote.
It certainly has caused a big upheaval with families and the economy. I cannot see any reason for it to exist at all. There are to many new mothers laughing at us and what they call the "golden egg govt". When the egg hatches is when they need some money, which all adds up to a sinking country.

Dei
  • 3rd Nov 2012 12:40pm

I agree SanyiZ, the only bonus I got & truly the only one worth having was the birth of my beautiful son & the fact that he was born happy & healthy.

shilto02
  • 3rd Nov 2012 10:16am

I think there are very few women who go and have babies simply to get the baby bonus. I think the issue lies more in the cycle of poverty and dysfunction of relationships as well as the changing nature of family so I don't really think refusing them the baby bonus is going to change that. That said, I'm all for decreasing the amount for subsequent children from $5000 to $3000 as was recently announced. Most of the big baby items are already owned then and $3000 is still pretty generous as a 'bonus.' Remembering that we weren't always so lucky to have such a payment. There are other payments designed to help out single mothers and while they do it tough I think it's pretty fair. I'd also just like to point out that there are many reasons that people wind up in the circumstances you are describing and until you've walked in their shoes it might be difficult to imagine the challenges they go through each day and how this payment affects them.
There is now the Government Paid Parental Leave which goes to Mothers who have been working prior to the birth of their child so this payment rewards working families in the hope that a parent can have some time at home with the child before possibly returning to work . I think the combination of parental leave and baby bonus provides good coverage.
I was lucky enough to get the baby bonus with my first child as well as my employers parental leave. I worked part time in between children and was able to choose between the Government parental leave or baby bonus when I recently had my second. My Husband has always worked full time. I consider myself lucky as these payments were bonuses to me. Some people aren't so lucky and try as they may, just don't seem to be able to get themselves out of poverty. After all a single mother with young children and no support is going to find it hard to find work and care for her children. Removing assistance would make a hard situation even harder.

SanyiZ
  • 3rd Nov 2012 03:49pm
I think there are very few women who go and have babies simply to get the baby bonus. I think the issue lies more in the cycle of poverty and dysfunction of relationships as well as the changing...

This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the house rules.

888shelley
  • 3rd Nov 2012 08:24am

I had 2 children with no baby bonus, no childcare, no visiting midwife, no perks whatsoever! I was 18 and married to the same man I am still married to (45 years). When I needed time off, my kids went to granma's for a few hours, or I would get a neighbour to mind them. We were given a secondhand stroller which was as good as new and fitted both kids who were 17 months apart in age, a baby change table was not an absolute" must have" .....my babies did not have to walk/crawl/be carried everywhere and had clean nappies (cloth, not throwaway). I made many of my baby clothes or was given 2nds.
I think we got about $16 a MONTH to help /baby bonus. I cannot believe that anyone NEEDS $5000 to raise their child, in fact I feel the Government is doing the right thing by reducing the bonus and stopping it after the third child. Campbell Newman (Qld Premier) has just said that as from next year there will be visiting midwives for newborns in their home, cost approx $29 million...what absolute rubbish, we had to go to the baby clinic, usually by bus/walking/taxi as we had no car of our own, with our 1st baby.
OK, I get that times are different now but some things are still the same! Many of the single mums do need some extra support, but it should be fitted to individual cases,
I know one girl who has 5 kids, each time claiming the bonus, every child had a brand new cot,pram,clothes etc, the rest of the money was spent on TV's, playstation and mobile phones for the older kids.Only 3 of the kids have the same father, he works part time( due to illness) when he can. She will not let him live in the same house, although he is a better father than she is a mother. The 5 girls have no discipline, bad behaviour, go to school occasionally(!) and live on junk food.
Enuff said!! I agree 100%

GretaZ
  • 3rd Nov 2012 03:30pm
I had 2 children with no baby bonus, no childcare, no visiting midwife, no perks whatsoever! I was 18 and married to the same man I am still married to (45 years). When I needed time off, my...

This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the house rules.

smitzer
  • 2nd Nov 2012 09:45pm

Where do you draw the line, a father who walks out on his pregnant wife or girlfriend, does she get the baby bonus. Why do we pay all these dole bludgers as we call them. Why do we continue to pay the sole parent pension, why dont they have partners and why do they have children when they are in this situation. What about the gay and lesbian community who are raising families. It isnt so black and white. There is a portion of society that as tax payers we are going to pay for and this will never change.

GretaZ
  • 3rd Nov 2012 03:25pm
Where do you draw the line, a father who walks out on his pregnant wife or girlfriend, does she get the baby bonus. Why do we pay all these dole bludgers as we call them. Why do we continue to pay...

I think the point is that we don't keep paying people who have been on the dole long term to keep having kids to avoid getting a job. I'm sure that each situation should be assessedon it's merits, not in a blanket style. We can change things, just not overnight! If you feel like there is no changing it, then I feel for you. I think change is inevitable, it happens. We need to remember thta the rights of many people have changed over the years, and will keep doing so regardless.

Steven Smythe
  • 2nd Nov 2012 08:40pm

I would say my thinking is very similar to yours. I've always said the baby bonus should be paid as a tax rebate

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