Preggos Scrambling to Get Their "Baybee Bonus" Check

Muddle over baby bonus eligibility
December 29, 2008
Article from: The Australian



"THOUSANDS of eligible families could miss out on the $5000 baby bonus as a result of confusion over the new means test for the measure.

There are even fears some couples are asking obstetricians to bring forward caesarean births or induce babies to meet the January 1 deadline for the changes, as a result of misinformation on how the new system will work.

For the first time, the Rudd Government will introduce a means test, limiting the bonus from next year to couples with a combined annual income of up to $150,000. But because the test will be applied only in the first six months after the birth, when most couples' income is dramatically reduced, the vast majority of families will remain eligible.

Family and Community Services Minister Jenny Macklin confirmed last night the Government would not reconcile income at the end of the 12 months.

So if a woman returns to work earlier than expected and subsequently fails the test, she will not be forced to give the bonus back.

"People do not have to be concerned if their financial situation changes in the six months following the birth due to unforeseen circumstances. No debts will be raised for unforeseen changes in income. Debts will only be raised where compliance checks reveal that a person has knowingly provided false or misleading information," she said.

"People do not have to be concerned about how much money they and their partner earn before the birth of their baby. A family's income will be calculated based on their earnings in the six months following the birth of a baby."

Kerry Schindlmayr, 30, from the eastern Sydney suburb of Kingsford, was aware only through word of mouth that she could still claim the bonus, despite a combined income that normally tips $150,000.

Because the soon-to-be mother of two plans to take a year off work following the birth, the Schindlmayrs' combined income comes under the threshold.

"I've got quite a few friends who are pregnant and we've spoken about the means test, and it is really through word of mouth that I've come to know how it will work, rather than anything official," she said.

But like many expectant mothers, Claire Morris, 34, from Ashfield in Sydney's inner west, whose due date is December 30, did not realise the means test would be applied to the combined family income for the six months after the baby was born.

"I had hoped the baby would come on time or early so I knew for sure we could get the bonus," she said. "Obviously, I'll just be thrilled to have a healthy baby.

"But I think the changes could have been better explained. There was only the brief mention of the $150,000 limit at budget time, and I haven't heard anything since."

Opposition families spokesman Tony Abbott said the means test was a mistake.

"There's always confusion with means-tested benefits. And while I would hope no one would be so silly as to bring forward a birth to claim the bonus, you just never know," he said.

The bonus will now be paid in 13 fortnightly instalments of about $385, replacing the lump-sum payment. The time limit for claiming it will increase from 26 to 52 weeks from the child's birth or, in the case of adoption, from the child coming into the person's care.

A spokeswoman for Ms Macklin said about 94 per cent of families would still qualify for the bonus, which was increased to $5000 on July 1 and will now be indexed on July 1 each year"




THANKS GOODNESS it was just a misunderstanding. I would hate to think that the NOO MOO couldn't afford to take a year off with her baybee because her income was slightly over the $150k limit. So, some of them are SO desperate to claim their 5k that they will have labor induced or a C-section? MY GOD that's selfish as hell and dangerous for their kyd, rather than "silly" like the spokesperson suggests, What's this bullshit about people ".....not having to be concerned if their income changes 6 months after the birth, due to unforseen circumstances"?
How is this "unforseen"? That one woman quoted in the article outright SAID that she PLANNED to "take a year off", so I don't see how planning that is an "unforseen circumstance", at all or in the least. I am appalled that they even get a "baybee bonus" in the first place, but I don't suppose it's any worse than what the United States does, which is give them OUTRAGEOUS tax breaks and then turn right around and let them double dip in April with the "Earned Income Credit" nonsense. There are WELFARE WHORES who walk away every year from rapid refund places with 5-8k in their pockets, but who only actually earn, maybe 4-5 a year, total.

The Breeder Bonus pisses me off to no end. I was highly opposed of it when it was introduced, and it still SHITS ME OFF all the way from America. I didn't know those bastards increased it recently. Cunts. I DESPISE the Howard government for introducing that shit. If I remember correctly... It was the Treasurer who said at the time, "Have one for Mum, one for Dad, and one for the nation.". I actually knew a whore who got herself knocked up on purpose just for the money, and told me so. I called her a disgusting bitch right to her face. It didn't go over too well, obviously, but fuck it - some cunts just need to be told.

Why can't the Rudd government just turn the Breeder Bonus into specific food stamps? Like, basic needs - and only those? Or even better: GET RID OF THAT SHIT COMPLETELY. ARGH.

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CherryBlossom
The Breeder Bonus pisses me off to no end. I was highly opposed of it when it was introduced, and it still SHITS ME OFF all the way from America. I didn't know those bastards increased it recently. Cunts. I DESPISE the Howard government for introducing that shit. If I remember correctly... It was the Treasurer who said at the time, "Have one for Mum, one for Dad, and one for the nation.". I actually knew a whore who got herself knocked up on purpose just for the money, and told me so. I called her a disgusting bitch right to her face. It didn't go over too well, obviously, but fuck it - some cunts just need to be told.

Why can't the Rudd government just turn the Breeder Bonus into specific food stamps? Like, basic needs - and only those? Or even better: GET RID OF THAT SHIT COMPLETELY. ARGH.

I don't know much about Australia's economy or the cost of living, but wouldn't 150k a year be considered at least above the poverty line? In the urban area where I lived before moving to rural Kentucky, 150k (combined) would be considered from lower upper to middle upper class income level. Around here, many doctors and lawyers don't make that much, so 150k combined would be consider wealthy but the cost of living is extremely low in this area though. This must truly be what it''s called then, if it isn't due to being impoverished, it's an actual "bonus", a fucking REWARD for self replicating in an already overpopulated world!!!! What is their reasoning for even doing this at all? It pisses me off royally and I don't even live there and am not directly affected by it, except for it probably gives OUR breeders ideas and believe me, they don't need any new ideas on how to fleece the tax payers under the guise of it's "for the chyyldren". Like that one woman says in the article, she was counting on the bonus so she could take a YEAR off from work? This is preposterous and should be abolished.

PLEASE tell me that they didn't hand out any money retroactively. Did the moocows who missed the boat by delivering too early or getting knocked too early to cash a check the first time around pitch a bitch? Probably not because they most likely just got knocked up again before their cootie stitches had even come out. This does nothing but solidify their already too great of a sense of entitlement. "Oh I'm getting knocked up again, gotta do my part for my nation!" MY GOD, it's a dream come true for a breeder wannabee.

$150k a year in this country is a pretty fucking good standard of living, even if it is combined between two people (who you could argue are on $75k a year each, which is pretty good, even in a super-expensive city like Sydney).

What shits me is that every time they talk about some sort of timeline regarding a change to the baby bonus (ie, it will increase from a certain date, or will be means tested from a certain date), you always hear stories of breeders scheduling c-sections or delaying deliveries until things are more in their favour. Evidently they don't give a shit about the health of the child if they schedule a c-section so they can make sure it is delivered before the cut-off date. Unbeleivable. For fuck's sake, they even get the baby bonus if the baby is stillborn, so either way they get some sort of money out of it.

This bullshit really grinds my shit, as this just sets up the entitlement mentatlity and moo-martyr syndrome. First there is the baby bonus they are ENTITLED to. Next they'll expect to take as much time off work as they like/need but somehow their job MUST be there waiting for them should they deign to return to work. Next they'll want to only work every other day or be able to leave early or take inumerable sick days off, or come to some sort of 'flexible' arragnement which is begrudgingly accomodated by the employer, lest they face some discrimination acusation or some such bullshit. In one of my former jobs years ago, they had tag-team maternity leave between 2 or 3 women. One would go on maternity leave just as another was coming back. It was so frustrating to get anything done as they changeover could have been done better, and invariably the ones who return are only there 2 or 3 days a week and when they are there, they usually arrive late, take long lunches and piss off home early, thats on the days they are actually at work and not on sick leave or carers leave because their kid has the sniffles. And this was for important stuff like payroll and authorising purchases which I wasn't able to do myself (otherwise I would have).

Thank fuck the whole paid maternity leave scheme has been put on the back burner (again) in this country due to the current financial crisis, but the plan was to have 18 weeks paid on minimum wage, paid for by the government and not the employer.

150k a year is fucking GOOD, even with the inflation, paying ridiculous prices for land rates, utilities, water, food, etc. You're still earning a decent living. I HATE the Breeder Bonus with a fuckng passion, and I have NO problem telling any person I know who brings the subject up what I really think of it. I've had MOOS at my former job (Woolworths - white trash central where I worked at) whining about not getting paid mooternity leave. These were all single breeders, I might add.

Keep in mind that the same government (Howard) who introduced the Breeder Bonus bullshit in, was also the same one that whined about Australia's water sources (among other things) disappearing, and how we all had to "save as much of it as we can". Here's an idea: "STOP PAYING PEOPLE TO BREED, YA DUMB FUCKS. Oh, and apparently we're "under populated". Uhh... I think 21,468,700 people is enough considering that about 80% of Australia is fucking DESERT.

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kidlesskim
...it's an actual "bonus", a fucking REWARD for self replicating in an already overpopulated world!!!! What is their reasoning for even doing this at all?

You answered your own question. It's a reward. Or to be more honest, it's a bribe from the government to 'correct' citizens that is funded from the taxes of 'uncorrect' people - the childfree.

Most modern governments have a vested interest in ever-increasing populations...often for nefarious reasons.

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CFTeen

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kidlesskim
...it's an actual "bonus", a fucking REWARD for self replicating in an already overpopulated world!!!! What is their reasoning for even doing this at all?

You answered your own question. It's a reward. Or to be more honest, it's a bribe from the government to 'correct' citizens that is funded from the taxes of 'uncorrect' people - the childfree.

Most modern governments have a vested interest in ever-increasing populations...often for nefarious reasons.

Couldn't of said it better myself.

---

lab mom

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CFTeen

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kidlesskim
...it's an actual "bonus", a fucking REWARD for self replicating in an already overpopulated world!!!! What is their reasoning for even doing this at all?

You answered your own question. It's a reward. Or to be more honest, it's a bribe from the government to 'correct' citizens that is funded from the taxes of 'uncorrect' people - the childfree.

Most modern governments have a vested interest in ever-increasing populations...often for nefarious reasons.

You know, breeders often use the standard bingos about paying SS and such, so I always ask, why not let immigrants pay for that? There are always people wanting to move here, go to school here, work here, etc. I say, let them in and then we no longer have to pay/subsidize people to have kyds (since they all act like they're doing it for the greater good). It's cheaper and better for the environment.

Damnedest thing...they never have a response to that.

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BratfreeGirl

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CFTeen

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kidlesskim
...it's an actual "bonus", a fucking REWARD for self replicating in an already overpopulated world!!!! What is their reasoning for even doing this at all?

You answered your own question. It's a reward. Or to be more honest, it's a bribe from the government to 'correct' citizens that is funded from the taxes of 'uncorrect' people - the childfree.

Most modern governments have a vested interest in ever-increasing populations...often for nefarious reasons.

You know, breeders often use the standard bingos about paying SS and such, so I always ask, why not let immigrants pay for that? There are always people wanting to move here, go to school here, work here, etc. I say, let them in and then we no longer have to pay/subsidize people to have kyds (since they all act like they're doing it for the greater good). It's cheaper and better for the environment.

Damnedest thing...they never have a response to that.

LOL. I bet they don't. Just curious... By immigrants, do you mean breeders only or all? That's an interesting idea...

I mean immigrants who want to come here legally, like on a work visa. They can come on over, work and pay taxes, and then the breeders won't feel obligated to have babybees to pay my social security and we won't have to subsidize them anymore. Everybody wins! Then, if people still want to replicate themselves, they can do it on their own dime - not ours.

How much you wanna bet the breeders would still be popping out kids left and right...thus exposing their 'who'll pay for your Medicaid/SS' bingo as bullshit?

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BratfreeGirl
I mean immigrants who want to come here legally, like on a work visa. They can come on over, work and pay taxes, and then the breeders won't feel obligated to have babybees to pay my social security and we won't have to subsidize them anymore. Everybody wins! Then, if people still want to replicate themselves, they can do it on their own dime - not ours.

How much you wanna bet the breeders would still be popping out kids left and right...thus exposing their 'who'll pay for your Medicaid/SS' bingo as bullshit?

Speaking as a (legal) immigrant myself... I agree with your idea. I'm in the process of becoming a permanent resident (green card), so I'll have the "honour" of paying taxes (probably more than average since I'm not a citizen. I'll have to look into that) very soon, lol. But yeah, you're probably right. They'll shoot out shitlings regardless. d