Labor's family tax policy and sole parents

Linda Seaborn

Sole parents would face gains and losses under the ALP's family tax policy released on September 7, according to Dr Elspeth McInnes, the convenor of the National Council of Single Mothers and their Children.

Sole parents who receive child support will gain from an increase in the maintenance income test threshold and the 10% fall in the child support taper rate. This will result in greater benefits for children of separated parents when child support is paid. The package also provides a welcome change to ease family payment debts arising from child support arrears.

McInnes also welcomed promised increased investment in the JET Scheme and access to TAFE places for sole parents returning to work. "We know that parents returning to the workforce often need to update skills or acquire new ones to compete in the labour market."

She also welcomed the gains to middle-income families from the higher family payment threshold, but noted that parents earning less than $35,000 would not benefit.

"The main losers under this package are sole parents with more than one child and no wage income. They are likely to be the poorest families, yet they will go without the $600 per child family payment promised by the Coalition."

McInnes noted that the value of the $600 boost in family payments had still to be secured through implementation of the Coalition's promise to change the indexation, and that otherwise the increased money would quickly disappear in real terms.

From Green Left Weekly, September 15, 2004.

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From GLW issue 598