middle class welfare for singles ?

[hoss]

OK. Get the violins out. Without wanting to sound too greedy and middle-class, it's about time something was done in Australia for single people - and those who choose to stay single.

I pay taxes like anyone. One of those people who wouldn't describe themselves as rich, but I am in the top tax bracket, paying my 48.5% tax or whatever it is. My super get taxed on the way in, on the way out.

Went to Uni but couldn't get any Austudy or youth allowance because my parents were "rich" farmers - NOT!! Spent my Uni days when not studying, working as a bouncer and stacking shelves down at Coles Claremont. Lived off rice, bread and 2 minute noodles as my staples. Even remember pinching dunny paper out of public toilets.

The most welfare I think I've recieved is the 30% private health rebate - and even this is effectively a net loss, as if I don't pay for private insurance I get slugged with the medicare surcharge. Of course, I still pay my Medicare levy.

I would like to thank the person who introduced dividend imputation, be they Lib or Labor because that was beneficial to me.

Now if I had a missus and kids, well different story. Family tax A & B benefits, baby bonuses, parenting payments, child care benefits, maternity payments etc.( I wanna buy a new fridge too ! ) You can also make use of tax breaks such income splitting.

Now I'm not too desperate yet. Haven't quite filled in my order for a mail-order bride, but just once I wish a government could give Australian singles a break.

 

[purplesoul]

Well, I am in the same boat and that does not bother me. It is just a part of contributing towards society. Families should be assisted to a certain extent, and I will be taking advantage of those opportunities when the time comes.

 

[hoss]

Well, I am in the same boat and that does not bother me.

Wow! Did you work at Coles Claremont too!

 

[skipper kelly]

Are you against the idea of man and woman having child?

 

[Tim56]

I don't believe in middle class welfare for singles or for families. It is the thing I dislike most about the Howard gov't.

Let's go through the list:

Maternity payment
Family tax benefit (both the ongoing and annual bribe version)
Child care allowance

I'm sure we can think of plenty more...

 

[hoss]

Are you against the idea of man and woman having child?

Certainly not Skip.

If I had a partner and we planned to have a child / children, I would take all factors into consideration, including finances.

A $3000 or $5000 payment for having a baby can take away from the "spirit", the joy and the real reason for having a child. Some people will be having children for all the wrong reasons. $5000 may sound great up front, but as you will be aware, a kid will cost you HEAPS more than that. I don't want to see the situation where people are getting rid of kids like they would pets around Xmas time.

 

[skipper kelly]

Certainly not Skip.

If I had a partner and we planned to have a child / children, I would take all factors into consideration, including finances.

A $3000 or $5000 payment for having a baby can take away from the "spirit", the joy and the real reason for having a child. Some people will be having children for all the wrong reasons. $5000 may sound great up front, but as you will be aware, a kid will cost you HEAPS more than that. I don't want to see the situation where people are getting rid of kids like they would pets around Xmas time.

I am in agreeance re baby bonus. Not doubt many see it as a quick fix. I would prefer to see vouchers for goods, food, services etc given, rather than lump sum cash.

As for welfare policy, it is usually directed towards children, which it should be, but the bigger issue is how do we get that money to the children.

As for the working at Coles to support yourself, isnt that a good thing?

 

[kirky]

Perhaps, form the singles party for an overall better go. Am sick of being taxed to the hilt (48.5%) + medicare levy + private hospital insurance.

It was Labor that bought in dividend imputation - yes, a party of socialists. Makes you wonder doesn't it - floated the dollar, deregulate the banking sector (and is partly why you have low interest rates - competition), dividend imputation. Nah, they couldn't manage the economy could they!!!

 

[hoss]

I am in agreeance re baby bonus. Not doubt many see it as a quick fix. I would prefer to see vouchers for goods, food, services etc given, rather than lump sum cash.

As for welfare policy, it is usually directed towards children, which it should be, but the bigger issue is how do we get that money to the children.

As for the working at Coles to support yourself, isnt that a good thing?

Yes, I've never been afraid of doing any job.

I just feel with the level of middle-class welfare already in existence, Howard missed the perfect opportunity to slash the top tax rate to 40c or under. Many people simply wasted the parent payment on whitegoods. They should have invested it in their childs future / education etc.

Doing something to fix tax creep would have been non-discriminatory, helping both families and singles.

 

[mantis]

What about the working class singles, the ones on under $35,000 a year, we get nothing either.

 

[skipper kelly]

Yes, I've never been afraid of doing any job.

I just feel with the level of middle-class welfare already in existence, Howard missed the perfect opportunity to slash the top tax rate to 40c or under. Many people simply wasted the parent payment on whitegoods. They should have invested it in their childs future / education etc.

Doing something to fix tax creep would have been non-discriminatory, helping both families and singles.

I would defineately like to see the top bracket drop, or increase the levels up to something realistic.

 

[hoss]

What about the working class singles, the ones on under $35,000 a year, we get nothing either.

Well, you've actually received less than middle-class singles under Howard as you missed out on much of the tax cuts.

Problem with bracket creep is that even lower and middle class earners can quickly end up in the top tax brackets. In a relatively short time frame, you can get 80% of taxpayers in the top brackets.

Neither major party will do anything to fix this - its too much of a bonanza for them.

 

[Frodo]

What about the working class singles, the ones on under $35,000 a year, we get nothing either.

$700 a week...working class

Tell that to an Indian or chinaman.


oh for the Aussie "Battlers"

 

[hoss]

$700 a week...working class

Tell that to an Indian or chinaman.


oh for the Aussie "Battlers"

What planet are you on Fraudo? I think $35000 in anyone's terms would be considered working class.

So what do you think about John Howard's middle-class welfare Fraudo?

 

[mantis]

That is net, someone on $30,000 a year nets $450 a week, then they have to pay another 10% tax on everything they buy, or use.

So what's your idea of working class wage, any much less than that would be welfare benefits.

 

[demon_dave]

Are you against the idea of man and woman having child?

nah, he's just too ugly to get a partner

 

[Tim56]

nah, he's just too ugly to get a partner

Anyone who got banned from a Casino for card counting could not have trouble getting a woman

 

[- PC -]

I am in agreeance re baby bonus. Not doubt many see it as a quick fix. I would prefer to see vouchers for goods, food, services etc given, rather than lump sum cash.
As for welfare policy, it is usually directed towards children, which it should be, but the bigger issue is how do we get that money to the children.

As for the working at Coles to support yourself, isnt that a good thing?

I would like to see vouchers for most welfare payments based on needs..single people on the dole get a percentage of utility vouchers ..families get medical and food vouchers..SO KIDS GET FED NOT PARENTS GET DRUGS/SMOKES/DRINKS pensioners get dog food vouchers...I just think the idea of giving people ,in need, money and expecting them to do the right thing instead of obliterating themselves for a day or 2 has to be looked at

 

[hoss]

nah, he's just too ugly to get a partner

yep.

 

[mantis]

Come on there's someone out there for everyone, plus you are a Cancerian & everyone knows they are the best people.

 

[hoss]

Yep Cancerians are it! Compassionate, sincere, loyal homebodies. I love travelling the world but also home, cooking, pets etc. Favourite movies..um..

sh1t, that's right, this is Big Footy not RSVP.

 

[tapestry]

The current form of Middle Class family welfare is only for those who have the patience and or greed to go after it.

We're a dual income, 3 kids, 4th due in March family. Income protection insurance to also include a small amount of extra maternity leave. To get an estimated extra $15 per fortnight I am expected to jump through hoops, go to interviews, supply monthly paperwork on some income and quarterly statements on others. It costs us more to do that than what we get in return! And even when you ring and write and say to them "forget it, it's too much hassle, I don't want it", they still send you letter after letter after letter. If anyone's looking for why we pay so much in tax, you need go no further than the paper, printer toner, and postage bills of Centrelink. Bring back the old DSS, life was much simpler then.

There was no such thing as a baby bonus when number 1 was born. 2 & 3 got the $850 each. 4 might get this $3000 thing. But at what cost?

2 x $600 per child payments in the last 6 months to offset the family tax benefit debts that get created that can't be avoided because of the screwed up system. Why not spend that $600 per child on fixing the system, employing more staff, training all staff, get a computer system that ********ing well works instead of leaving people with debts!

And this 3 grand? Is that counted as taxable income? Is it counted as centrelink income? If it is included on your centrelink payment statement how does it affect the incurrance of a family tax benefit debt? It's all too hard. Scrap the lot. Bring back the days of means tested child endowment payments, and the "if you aren't chasing child support or don't have a good enough reason why not, then you dont' get the single parent pension" days. If you have 2 arms, 2 legs and a heartbeat, get a job. If you don't, tough luck.

Centrelink's version of welfare for today is soft and complicated and a waste of time and money. Bring back the DSS, bring back the DSS, bring back the DSS! (for those of you too young to remember, that's the Department of Social Security)

 

[hoss]

Anyone who got banned from a Casino for card counting could not have trouble getting a woman

Thanks for the support Tim, but that was back in my young stud Uni days.

 

[hoss]

The current form of Middle Class family welfare is only for those who have the patience and or greed to go after it.

We're a dual income, 3 kids, 4th due in March family. Income protection insurance to also include a small amount of extra maternity leave. To get an estimated extra $15 per fortnight I am expected to jump through hoops, go to interviews, supply monthly paperwork on some income and quarterly statements on others. It costs us more to do that than what we get in return! And even when you ring and write and say to them "forget it, it's too much hassle, I don't want it", they still send you letter after letter after letter. If anyone's looking for why we pay so much in tax, you need go no further than the paper, printer toner, and postage bills of Centrelink. Bring back the old DSS, life was much simpler then.

There was no such thing as a baby bonus when number 1 was born. 2 & 3 got the $850 each. 4 might get this $3000 thing. But at what cost?

2 x $600 per child payments in the last 6 months to offset the family tax benefit debts that get created that can't be avoided because of the screwed up system. Why not spend that $600 per child on fixing the system, employing more staff, training all staff, get a computer system that ********ing well works instead of leaving people with debts!

And this 3 grand? Is that counted as taxable income? Is it counted as centrelink income? If it is included on your centrelink payment statement how does it affect the incurrance of a family tax benefit debt? It's all too hard. Scrap the lot. Bring back the days of means tested child endowment payments, and the "if you aren't chasing child support or don't have a good enough reason why not, then you dont' get the single parent pension" days. If you have 2 arms, 2 legs and a heartbeat, get a job. If you don't, tough luck.

Centrelink's version of welfare for today is soft and complicated and a waste of time and money. Bring back the DSS, bring back the DSS, bring back the DSS! (for those of you too young to remember, that's the Department of Social Security)

So would you have been better off with a significant tax cut. Probably?

 

[mantis]

$700 a week...working class

Tell that to an Indian or chinaman.


oh for the Aussie "Battlers"

Last time I checked this was Australia, not India or China & what gives with the "chinaman" think the word is chinese.