I would say yes to a new washing machine for sure. Maybe tell your DH that by upgrading you would be saving money in electricty and water in the long run. Think about it, you use electricity for 1 bigger load of washing or 2 smaller loads, and the same would go for the water. The FP machines are water friendly (well ours is anyway) in that it re uses the water in a single cycle instead of dumping it and refilling, so you use less water. Plus you save on buying whatever you are needing to add to stop the lint on your clothes.

2. Buying a washing machine out of the baby bonus is most certainly a reasonable thing to do. You need to wash clothes for bub, who will be vomiting over things and weeing and pooing on stuff as well.... including yours and your DH's clothing We bought a dryer with our baby bonus, I did feel a little guilty, but it had been raining, so we didnt have time to get his clothes dry before he was needing to wear them. Off to the shop, got a dryer, and what an investement it turned out to be...More rain and even more rain on top of that meant he had dry clothes and spew rags, and last month when he was vomiting from gastro, I did 4 FULL LOADS in my 7-8kg washing machine, of cloth nappies/spew rags just to keep up with his vomiting. Imagine doing something like that in a 4kg machine..... I was barely keeping up with my nice sized washer AND dryer!
You definately deserve it, and don't feel guilty for spending the baby bonus on something that you will need. Get it now if you can, especially if sales are on, that way you save even more money

Nic