So Treasurer Wayne Swan seems to think that everyone falls under two
definitions - they're either classified as "working families" or
"wealthy millionaires".
Under Labor's warped definitions, we seem to be "wealthy
millionaires." Ha!! I wish!
So we now we miss out because we earn more than the magic 150K mark?
And…by that same token, we must also not be one of the "working
families" who Labor is so keen to support.
What nonsense.
I understand the reasons for wanting to means test such things, and I
agree that there's people dripping in diamonds out there who really
don't need it but I am really angry that this is based on gross income
which can bear absolutely no relation to disposable income.
Seriously, everyone has different circumstances and slogging high
income earners in such a blanket way is just a typical Labor stunt.
Kevin and Wayne, women like me have worked really hard to get where we
are. There's years of study and hard work involved. Cash bonuses like
the 5K Baby Bonus aren't a welfare payment, they're just what they are
- a bonus payment for having a baby!
It's worth a good month's salary to me! This is important - if I have
kids, I want to be able to take a least a year off work and this kind
of scheme really helps.
It's been so long that I forgot what life was like under a lefty government...
That's right - I'm supposed to move to a rental place Bankstown, get
work as a low-paid receptionist and become a single mother to five
kids. Then I'll get classified as a "working family doing it tough"
and I'll get all sorts of payments coming my way!!
4 comments:
I hear you, sweetie, I do... but personally, I'd rather pay more tax and have a national social conscience, than get a whole lot of tax breaks whilst conveniently forgetting about THE WAR, CHILDREN OVERBOARD, HECS, etc etc etc.
This country is still hungover from the Liberal's 12-year-long binge on uncut economic rationalism. The idea of paying women to get pregnant really, really grates on me, because it proves that, one way or another, the voting public is perceived as either a source of profit or an expenditure. We're not people anymore, and I blame John Fucking Howard for that. We're just income, darling, and because of that, we're treated like an investment. Pay the Campbelltown crowd (it's not Bankstown anymore) to sprog and guess what? They will!
Anyway... at least Rudd has had the decency to address (more than) a few monumentally overlooked social injusticies. They're worth more to me than an extra wad of cash per week.
JFH did his best to screw us into utter moral complacency - which happened - and all he had to do was wave a few dollar signs in our faces. Economic self-sufficience is meaningless if you've sacrificed your sense of self.
I dunno, my dear. It's very difficult for women careerwise and if there's such fears over why women are having babies later in life and not having enough young people to pay taxes for the aging population, it's important to support working families from all walks of life.
It's especially important not to single out people earning over an arbitrary amount to not receive any assistance at all.
I know you don't agree with baby payments, and I thought the same too when I wasn't in a situation where I have to plan for a career break in the upcoming years - but to me, either have a scheme like this or do what every OECD country (bar America) has done - and that's introduce decent paid maternity leave.
It's not fair that a couple earning $500,000 with one baby and no mortgage (because Daddy has bought them a place in the Eastern suburbs) is being treated the same as one earning $180,000 with three kids and a huge mortgage in, say, the inner west. It's a silly way to "means test".
I don't hate Rudd, but I did appreciate the support from the previous govt who was better at not discriminating against the self-made.
The past govt made huge donations to charities and implemented some good welfare strategies - I do want to help those who have are in unfortunate circumstances through no fault of their all. I believe in afforable and accessible education and healthcare for all.
It's just the attitude of the new govt that irks me. They paint themselves as the ones to help the battlers and to take all the money away from those tiresome rich people to do it. Eh.
I'm supposed to move to a rental place Bankstown, get
work as a low-paid receptionist and become a single mother to five
kids.
Seee? You'll soon get the hang of it Jezzy! As for me, I plan to work a lot less and surf a lot more. Kevin MADE ME DO IT!
Hmm, hello Jezzy (long time, I know, sorry) :)
I agree with your rant, and also with deemacgee's reply.
I didn't like the last governments response to everything simply being to hand over a wad of cash. I am glad they are gone. I felt that they were a closed shop and only there for the well off. There is so much more that our govt should be doing and we should be engaged in debate and have long term thinking.
I also do like that this government at the moment seems to be wanting to provide long term solutions, such as considering paid maternity leave. i do think that more people than those over $150k (matt and I are almost there, and don't consider ourselves 'well off' but we don't struggle and can still manage with the increases in petrol prices and so on) should have access to paid maternity leave - we do want a mix of society procreating, after all! paid maternity leave scaled to the salaries that women are on rathter than a one-size-fits-all approach of lump sum is better, and I hope we get there. My annoyance is with the fact that people have JH attitudes left over that women should have to save up to have a baby, rather than it being a benefit and a saving to business to support women having kids. I really wish women would rise up and argue for this, cause then the govt would have to listen :)
Ah, back to work :)
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