A baby bonus to offset a plummeting fertility rate is unlikely to be on the cards despite warnings of 280,000 fewer births by 2024, as a disparate group of MPs and senators recommend a re-examination of family tax benefits, cheaper childcare and extra economic stimulus instead.
Former Treasurer Peter Costello introduced a baby bonus in 2002 and famously described his hopes for families to have "one for mum, one for dad and one for the country''. It was axed by then-Treasurer Wayne Swan in 2014.There is now little support for a repeat performance. Liberal Senator for Queensland Gerard Rennick said he was "not a fan of the baby bonus" nor any one-off upfront payments for having children.
Nationals Senator for Queensland Matt Canavan was also not supportive of direct cash payments at birth and instead said he remained supportive of a family-based taxation system. "Fertility rates increase when parents feel positive about their capacity to provide for their child’s future," Senator McKenzie said.
She said the cost of childcare should be looked at as the current government subsidies were a disincentive for women to return to full-time work or have more children.
JennieDuke Plummeting fertility rate is a godsend. There is already too much reliance by new families on social welfare. Families having kids they can’t afford. As a taxpayer this is a relief.
JennieDuke With the current state of the institution of marriage, it is far safer for men to stay single and never live with a woman. Today's feminist agenda is just to use men as a ATM whilst bitching that he's not doing enough chores! Men, stay free, sane and wealthy.
JennieDuke Decades of bad policy is unforgivable. Successive govt’s have relied on imported skills & creative accounts, it’s lazy & doesn’t address an ageing pop. Current policy carries a heavy dependency cohort that would b better spent on stimulus, training & support.
JennieDuke Corporate government thinking . Babies take too long to buy a house and car. Best to import 100,000 adults a year, ready to go .
Asher_Wolf JennieDuke The report and spreadsheets with numbers are here
JennieDuke Has anyone seen the morons roaming our society today? There's no legitimate reason to throw them cash to spread their seed. These politicians have no capacity for creativity when it comes to stimulating specific parts of the economy. It's just tax this and throw money at that.
JennieDuke We would be paying people not to have children. The planet can not sustain endless population growth.
JennieDuke Education must be working.
JennieDuke More births are only good for a linear economy that needs growth to succeed. If we had a circular economy then pop growth would be discouraged and better for life on a finite planet.
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