Parliament may not be sitting at the moment, but the political machine is still cranking away – with several legislative changes on the agenda. Here’s a brief rundown on what’s happening in Canberra and how together we’re presenting a loud voice to Parliament.
Family Law Amendment Bill 2023
The Amendments have been introduced to Parliament and the Minister has made his ‘second reading speech’ in which he outlined why this is important. Debate has been adjourned now because the parliament ‘has risen’ and won’t return until Budget Night, Tuesday 9 May.
Ending single mother poverty
CSMC members and supporters will be well aware we part of a campaign to return the eligibility for the Parenting Payment Single (PPS) to when your youngest child finished school or turns 16, instead of eight. We’re running a letter-writing campaign, in which single mothers and their allies can directly tell the Prime Minister their own stories, and it’s had a great response. Still more are needed. Please add your voice to our campaign and/or sign our petition.
We are also gathering stories and letters to show the impact of this change, which we’ll feature in our popular My Single Mother Story project.
Some single mothers are unable to work, or have limited or insecure income, and rely on PPS to be able to provide for their children. For these mothers, the eighth birthday of their youngest child is a nightmare, not a celebration, as it means being shift to JobSeeker, with a drop to an income level a family can barely survive on.
Recent research shows 60 per cent of single mother families have escaped violence. This change is particularly important for the women leaving violence with children older than eight. The way governments talk makes some people think income support is about being slack but in fact, it is a human right provided under an international convention that Australia has signed.
This article provide a quick overview for those who want to read more.
