Greens Support Single Mother Issues
SingleMum.com.au | July 29, 2010
In a strong show of support, the Greens have promised to back single mum policies all the way in the upcoming federal election.
In a reply to the National Council for Single Mothers and their Children, who sent policy questions relating to single mother issues to all major political parties, the Greens reply was strongly in favour of supporting current single mother issues.
Whilst it was pointed out that single mothers and their children were at higher risk of poverty, it was clarified that “poor outcomes are not a foregone conclusion if policy and support responses are well targeted”.
The Greens have been stalwart in their support of single mothers, and were the only political party to speak out when single parent pensioners were excluded for the first time ever from a rise in the aged and disability support pension rates. They were also the only party who opposed the introduction of national income management laws.
The Greens opposed changes to Family Law that did not promote the best interests of the child, and in addition, those that made it difficult for women to raise concerns about domestic violence.
Major Greens policy points addressed in the response to the NCSMC included:
- Poverty – a guaranteed adequate income for all, topped up with allowances and support for particular needs
- Child Support – the winding back of the Welfare to Work scheme & also that CSA bears the risk of non-compliance by paying support up front and pursuing collection. In addition, that there should be closer monitoring of the over-estimation and under-achievement of shared care arrangements
- Family Law – reversing the changes made to Family Law by the Howard Government, with a focus on guaranteeing women’s safety
- Affordable Housing – increase funding to promote schemes that enable single parents to purchase their own house, more affordable rental properties that to suit single parent families with a commitment to ensure that all social housing is energy efficient and close to public transport, employment and social support services
- Social Inclusion – The Greens believe that all Australian children should have equal access to quality education and healthcare, a decent standard of living
You can find the Greens candidate for your area here
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