Nigel Scullion (NT, Country Liberal Party, Minister for Community Services) Share this | Hansard source

It is clear: we believe that all those individuals under 18 are vulnerable. We do not have a mechanism to say, ‘You are under 18 but you can somehow demonstrate non-vulnerability.’ It is perhaps useful to look at what they would be provided at that stage. From 1 July 2007, the maximum fortnightly rate of government transfers available to an under-18-year-old single parent with one child under five will be $525.10. That is the parenting payment for a single person. The family tax benefit part A is $145.46, the family tax benefit part B is $125.02 and the first of the 13 instalments of the baby bonus is $317.92. This makes a total of $1,113.50. Even with the $317.92 as an addition, because there is a substantial amount there we believe this is still a reasonable provision of the baby bonus.