With respect runner, that is not a highly meaningful contribution.

Perhaps you could indicate which points you agree and disagree with in my last two posts.

I think giving the lump sum baby bonus was rediculous.Now we have girls leaving school going out and getting pregnant just to get a bonus,They have no intention of going out to work they get a supporting parent payment and a bonus baby allowance.Why should they want to work for a living it's easier to keep having babies,This Governement needs to wake up and really look at the issues they have created.What happened to no support until the baby is born? At least it slowed the I'm having kids for the money mentality down.There are better things to use that money on.Do the babys get the benefit from that bonus.Answer a good deal of the time NO! Stop the baby bonus and use it in the health systen where it is needed.No I am not whinging because the kids get the money I am whinging because our health system is the poorest.It equals a third world nations health systen.If your healthy I suggest you stay that way,Because if your not, Well I suppose you could always go out with the young Mothers when they just got their baby bonus and hope they will help you,Just don't hold your breath.

These kind of payouts are a waste of money. This is not an observation grounded on jealousy, whether people love or hate babies, it is purely an impirical observation.

Ethically, the tokenistic prizes are an insult to the babies.

These are human lives, not market research prizes for playing the game.

This tired casino is designed to encourage people to have babies. If money encourages the entrants to have a baby, then I think that is an insult to human life and the baby. Imagine telling the child later:

"we had you so that we had the money to buy a plasma screan televsion, twinkles. We thought that we won! Silly us! But never mind dear, there is always a catch with the booby prize. Let this be a lesson".

Deciding to have a child has to be for building a loving family and the personal satisfaction of raising a wonderful person.

This is not as much for selfish gain as it is an instinctual selfless gift of love.

As for doing "it" for winning the prize money and your Flag and country is a grotesque insult to the life that is in the balance. The value of a human life can not be for the sake of winning a plasma television set so that we can be entertained by propaganda, bad drama, and quizarama.

The prize money will do little to help raise a child if there is no infrastructure to help you.

The greed as the motivator will create monsters, and social disasters. Yes, some people are devious enough to think that this is a good scam.

A few corrections.

1. The baby bonus is NOT means-tested. Any mother/father is entitled to it.

2. The baby bonus is not paid until after the baby is born - it takes around 6 weeks to have the application processed if its lodged within a week of the baby being born.

I have received one baby bonus and found it immensely helpful towards covering costs. Whilst only $3000, it was able to cover most of the costs of setting up for baby (cot, pram, clothes, cloth nappies, nappy buckets, capsule, car seat......). These had been charged to credit card in anticipation of receiving the bonus to cover the costs. This then allowed me to use my savings to cover time off work to spend with my new baby. I see this as only beneficial. Given that my next baby will not cost nearly as much to set up for (due to the big ticket items already being owned), I intend to use to bonus to partially replace my wages for a period of time off work (probably 3-6 months). Yes, I havent been able to save to cover this as before, as now the $200/week I was able to save is spent on childcare so that I can work (to pay for everything else). Some of the costs of this childcare is covered by childcare benefit, and the childcare rebate, but I am still out of pocket to the tune of around $140/week even after I get my rebate back at the end of the year (thank god the govt brought that forward). And yes, it easily costs me $60/week for my little darling.

I might be biased with a vested interest, but I believe its a good thing, that is extremely helpful to most parents.

No it isn't worth it. Achieving the aims doesn't mean the aims are worth achieving, or worth the cost to taxpayers. The baby bonus doesn't make child raising cheaper for society, it just passes the cost on to other people.

http://www.ozpolitic.com/articles/population-sustainability.html

http://www.ozpolitic.com/articles/sustainability-party.html

Country Gal

The baby bonus is means tested.

‘How much baby bonus you get depends on your own taxable income each year. If your taxable income is $25,000 or less you will be entitled to a minimum annual amount of $500.’

http://calculators.ato.gov.au/scripts/axos/axos.asp?CONTEXT=&KBS=baby2006.XR4&go=ok