Can someone explain this budget to me??

[StrawberryFields]

I really wonder what they were thinking with cutting discounts to full fee paying students - I think it had something to do with international students using education to get into the country? But surely they can just reduce the discount for non-citizens? You're right Trillian, it makes no sense and its penalising people who try to avoid being a strain on the government - in a way they're looking gift horses in the mouth...

They do need to look into why it is that people are still relying on Government payments even with what one would class as a decent wage. Clearly the definition of 'decent wage' also needs to be reviewed!

Maybe the way welfare is approved even - you have to give the bank a list of every tiny thing everything costs you to get a loan, perhaps we should have to provide a breakdown of our monthly expenses to prove to Centrelink why we qualify? I also think its a bit rich to judge eligibility on gross pay - people don't see that amount in their account!

Fingers crossed the Greens and Independants knock it back is all I can say...

[AnyDream]

I don't think the HELP thing makes sense either...I think they will find fewer people opt to pay up front/voluntary payments especially those on lower incomes who can just skate along for decades without paying for any of it at all. These are the people they should be encouraging to make those payments.

Trill I think you raise a really good point - why are families around the $150K still "hanging on by their teeth"??? Is it because of real spending pressures, or have we just adopted different lifestyle "norms" and expect more right across the board, when paying for all of that is what creates the pressure?

[Astrid]

Trill I think you raise a really good point - why are families around the $150K still "hanging on by their teeth"??? Is it because of real spending pressures, or have we just adopted different lifestyle "norms" and expect more right across the board, when paying for all of that is what creates the pressure?

That is such a tough one, as it all depends as to what start in life you had (did you live at home board free to save a deposit), did you buy your house before the price rises, where do you live, where do you need to live in order to work, do you or a family member have health issues or a disability etc Yes there is a certain amount of different lifestyle norms, but it is very hard to say that every family earning $150k is well off. I know if it was us, yes we would be quite comfortable, others, well not at all.

[beckoes]

i would consider us to be a low income family, for the moment anyway, doing all we can to change that, and to be honest, without the help from centerlink and welfare god knows where we would be now, out on our arses im sure!!! i am really greatful for the help the government has been able to give us and i feel very lucky to be in a country that has helped us, as a family, to stay safe and healthy! which is all thats important at the end of the day.
i can see how people find it easy to take advantage of this generosity but i would hate to think that if we had gone through what the last 12 months has thrown at us next yeat that we wouldnt have had the same level of help.

Trillian:

i already looked at those pages and couldnt work it out, hence this thread! i guess il just wait for it to go through and ring centerlink to find out what it has changed for us.

but it is very hard to say that every family earning $150k is well off. I know if it was us, yes we would be quite comfortable, others, well not at all.

wow...if we earnt that much id feel like we'd won lotto!

[Astrid]

Do you know how much tax is paid at that level? Quite a bit, plus losing things like FTB and childcare rebates etc. We are no where near that, but we are at the point where earning money means losing out in another area. We earn too much for a healthcare card, but not enough to get ahead. I would love it if we earned that much as a couple, but I would not classify as "rich".

[AnyDream]

Astrid, that's why i posed the question, and believe me I've wondered the same thing based on our current income - well under the $100K mark but pretty much double what it was when I was SAHMing with DD1 and we were just scraping by (I ask my self how we can be earning double and still have to penny-pinch). I also agree 100% with your comments about what start you had in life. Now approaching age 40, it's starting to become really apparent that the seeds of wealth (for those of my peers who now have it) really started 20 or more years ago. Having a good foundation at the beginning of your adult life really sets you up in a way I don't think I've really understood until now.

[Astrid]

Astrid, that's why i posed the question, and believe me I've wondered the same thing based on our current income - well under the $100K mark but pretty much double what it was when I was SAHMing with DD1 and we were just scraping by (I ask my self how we can be earning double and still have to penny-pinch). I also agree 100% with your comments about what start you had in life. Now approaching age 40, it's starting to become really apparent that the seeds of wealth (for those of my peers who now have it) really started 20 or more years ago. Having a good foundation at the beginning of your adult life really sets you up in a way I don't think I've really understood until now.

Same here, we are in a "poor" position compared to where we "should" be due to minimal family support in our younger years and low paying jobs (also add to that some silly financial decisions). We should technically own our home outright now, but we don't. IF we had, our middle to low financial position would be more comfortable than what it is now.

I suppose all the government can do is work on averages of wages etc to work out where to cut-off support.

[nothing2lose]

At $150k you get no govt benefits at all. You pay mega tax and Medicare and, if you are separated there's a good chance you won't get any child support. You might even be in the sucky position of having to pay the non-residential parent child support! You also need to pay for childcare (full fees). We are not struggling but we rent, don't go on holidays and
Dp drives a 15 year old car. Mine isn't much better. Our "luxury" is ivf.