hi girls - i work in a govvie department and we get all the minesterial updates - nothing has come through to state there has been any change to the proposed uplift to $5000 in July 2008. my guess is the papers have made an error and assumed that the change to legislation for parents under 18 years of age is in-line with an uplift - it's not.

if you look at the centrelink website (dot gov dot au) - and search for maternity payment, it's on there that the CPI increases will occur september and march, and mat payment goes up to $5000 July next year.

sorry if you were hoping for more this year girls!!