Michael Forshaw (NSW, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

My question is directed to Senator Kemp, Minister representing the Minister for Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs. I ask: can the minister confirm that both the new family tax payment rates contained in the budget and the welfare to work changes will operate from 1 July 2006? The budget contains welcome additional assistance to families by increasing the eligibility for family allowance. The welfare to work changes mean single parents applying for parenting payments will receive a lower payment—$55 less each fortnight to care for their children. If helping families is the highest priority of the government, as the Treasurer, Mr Costello, claims, why is the government treating single parent families on income support differently to other family unit types? Why should the children in these families be forced to live on less?