Freebirth - birth certificate lodgement and baby bonus questions

[Lisa]

So, just to annoy me, the stat dec arrived today - missing the stat dec. There is a cover letter and a return envelope but not stat dec. So annoying!
AND... the cover letter says

As most births occur in hospital, records are available to confirm the information provided by a parent. Where a child is not born in a hospital, The Registry seeks confirmation from independent witnesses who saw the birth occur. You have informed me that the father was the only witness to the birth and that you and the child were then taken to the John Hunter Hospital by ambulance.

This has annoyed me so much. Surely they can get the information needed from either JHH or the ambulance service. 2 paramedics attended and clamped the cord and passed Rob the scissors so he could cut the cord. Although they didn't actually see her being born, surely the fact that I was sitting there in a mess with a baby on my chest still attached to the placenta is enough for them to at least know I had given birth?
This is all just very annoying!

[Tanya]

You can print off Stat dec forms from the net (do a goole search) or get them from the cop shop.

They are idiots! As if you are just going to have some random person witness your birth! "Hey Honey, don't push until the mail man does his rounds, we'll invite him in and while he's here I'll get him to sign this stat dec." I mean CUMMON!

[Crystalwings]

Just wanted to let you know that i rang CL the other day about PPL and they said it's taking around 28 days, sometimes longer due to floods but if u are in financial hardship after 28 days then they will chase it up. So annoying. I know CL is very busy atm but thats a pretty long waiting time. We are looking forward to the back pay though.
GL with getting all the other stuff sorted.

[Lisa]

It's been 31 days today since we put the paperwork in. Most of my claim had been done online 2 months before Lucinda was born. With all 3 of our cars out of commission at the moment, that money most certainly would help right now

[Crystalwings]

We have done our claim too. Don't know what the point was really. I'd ring them and start hassling.

[Lisa]

I called them the other day and they told me that it was being worked on. I don't see what the point in doing it online is either, especially if you're already getting FTB. DH put all our paperwork in and he said he needed to fill forms out still.

[briggsy's girl]

if you are claiming paid parental leave, no matter how many other kids you are claiming for, there is additional info required

if you are only claiming baby bonus when you're already claiming FTB, there is NO POINT doing the online claim

the online claim doesn't speed up the post birth process one iota - all it does is allow you to provide the right info for a PPL claim in advance - can you imagine the pain it would be to have a new born, and be trying to find details of your employer (ABN etc) so that they can pay the PPL?

i will say that i haven't looked at the wording online to see if there is something that explains that - maybe something to feedback - but essentially the pre-birth claim is mostly for PPL - but it also allows first time parents to do their claim for Baby Bonus in advance.

when your proof of birth is received, it will still go in the pile and still be addressed at the same point it would be if you'd done your claim after birth - the only difference is that, if you do a PPL claim (or baby bonus, for first time parent) beforehand, if there is info missing, the letters can be sent out early so you're not further delayed after the birth of your baby

does that make sense?