Centrelink
Services Australia, through Centrelink, is responsible for administering income support and emergency payments on behalf of the Australian government.
What to do if you receive a Centrelink debt letter
What to do if you receive a Centrelink debt letter It's the time of year when Centrelink balances its ledgers and some single mothers may find themselves with an unexpected, nasty surprise: a letter saying we have incurred a Centrelink debt. Centrelink debts are...
New financial year: what’s changing?
With every new financial year comes changes that impact our family budgets, including tax, superannuation, and new rebates. So what's changing now? Well, there's some good(ish) news. Tax cuts The much talked about stage three tax cuts, which passed through...
Single mums need to safeguard important documents – here’s how
When Fatima and her children fled a domestic violence situation in the middle of the night they had only the clothes they were wearing. In the days following, she discovered she was unable to apply for Centrelink payments or even set up a bank account because she...
Robodebt report: “Stop the stigma”
In the 54 years since CSMC was founded, much has changed. Single mothers are now entitled to social security regardless of how they became single mothers; fewer single mothers are forced to relinquish their babies; and laws exist to prevent employment opportunities...
Centrelink and government payments
This is an overview of Centrelink payments to help single mothers start navigating the system. Services Australia through Centrelink, is responsible for administering income support and emergency payments on behalf of the Australian government. Income support...
How much can I earn before my Centrelink payments are cut?
For single mothers receiving Centrelink payments, returning to paid employment can mean the amount they receive is cut or eliminated altogether. Many single mothers make the decision on how many hours to work in paid employment based on how much of their Centrelink...
The Safety Net Bill has passed – so what now?
Single mother families receiving Centrelink payments will know that as of 20 September 2023, the eligibility age to receive Parenting Payment Single has been raised to up until the youngest child turns 14. It's a great win for single mums, but what does it mean and...
Single mother wins, then and now
Friday 5 May was a momentous day. Early in the morning, an announcement was made of the end of mandatory participation in ParentsNext, affective immediately, with a new co-designed voluntary program to be ready by July 2024. CSMC and our colleagues have been...
Federal Budget and single parents: a deep dive
On Budget Night, Tuesday 9 May, single parents had a significant victory: the Parenting Payment Single will now be accessible to single parents until their youngest child turns fourteen years. This is a terrific outcome - even if it is not a silver bullet for the...
An open letter to the Prime Minister from CSMC’s CEO Jenny Davidson
As part of CSMC's campaign to raise the eligibility of Parenting Payment Single, CEO Jenny Davidson wrote this letter to the Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and senior ministers. We think it says it all. Dear Prime Minister, Treasurer, Ministers and Senators, I am...