Ludwig, that is the old "first child offset". It was only available for the first child born since the policy was introduced, not for other children. It was first brought in for the 01/02 tax year, then taken out in 03/04 and replaced with the baby bonus. The first child offset was only able to be claimed through the tax return, and ranged from $500 to $2500 PER YEAR FOR 5 YEARS, dependant on how much your taxable income went down for each of those 5 years when compared with the base year (the year before the baby was born).

In contrast, the baby bonus (or maternity payment) is paid for every child born since the introduction, and is currently $4000 per child (compared to the maximum of $12500 for the eligible child under the old scheme). It is also paid directly from centrelink to the parents, rather than waiting to claim back through the tax system.

The old scheme is still in operation for those that qualified during the 2 years it was in, but has almost run its 5 year time frame. Thank goodness - one less complication in tax returns!

The new system also does not discriminate between those parents that choose to go back to work (often through necessity) - everyone gets the same amount.

LUDWIG-; "USE THE BABY BONUS TO REWARD EVERYONE WHO REACHES THE AGE OF 50 WITHOUT HAVING CHILDREN"

If war breaks out when you're 50 Ludwig you are prepared to go and fight are you? What about when you're aged 60 or 70years if war breaks out. Going to war are you? No!! you'll want someone else's children that you didnt have, to go and fight for you.
What about if bloody ethnic warfare or civil war breaks out in this country between the big tribes bought here by immigration in a few decades who's children are going to be standing around you for protection? You want all the benefits and protection that having a community around you provides but you want it for free. How are you going to have a protective sustaining community around you in the future if nobody around you has children? Importing them here from overcrowded countries is just taking the pressure off those countries so they can breed more instead of them facing the consequences which might force them to change their birth rates like China was eventually forced to do.

SAINTFLETCHER-; "ETHICALLY THE TOKENISTIC PRIZES (THE BABY BONUS) ARE AN INSULT TO THE BABIES THIS IS ABOUT THE SELFLESS GIFT OF LOVE NOT SELFISH GAIN"

So having a baby is about the selfless gift of love, The baby can live on love then,it doesnt need food or clothes or a roof over its head. It doesnt need around the clock actual physical care. When daycare workers do the job its called work and they are paid, knock off at six and have weekends and holidays off. When mothers do the work well into the night and never a sleep in even on weekends its all about love and doesnt deserve any recognition or renumeration from a society that benefits greatly from the providing of young fit people to do the jobs and provide the communtiy and services for the generation above it as they become too old.

And dont talk to me about immigration and multiculturalism. Open your eyes and look at all the ethnic wars(civil wars) raging in countries around the world at this very moment. Or is that your motive here do you want to use immigration to bring in more and more of your own tribe. Hardly accepting of the other ethnic groups here if that is your motive. Proves my point doesnt it?

Mothers shouldn't ask for financial assistance or time off because they should be selfless. Lets see you put in a long day and half the night in your job and do it for no pay, forget your annual holidays and weekends. You wouldnt do it would you?

Ooow sharky, so much hate!! You just assume the worst. How about asking some NEUTRAL questions and then making a judgement based on the answers.

“How are you going to have a protective sustaining community around you in the future if nobody around you has children?”

The concept of being rewarded for not having kids would obviously only be good if there was a healthy birthrate. That is; one at a bit below replacement level while we have a population that is too big and then one at replacement level once we have achieved the ideal population. It is extraordinary that you should miss this most basic point and jump straight to the ludicrous extreme by even thinking for more than a split second about a scenario where we would be having no kids!

“If war breaks out when you're 50 Ludwig you are prepared to go and fight are you?”

Bloody oath mate, if we are under imminent threat. If we aren’t under imminent threat then I’ll contribute in whatever way I can in order to make sure we don’t have to go and fight. You seem to be hung up on this willingness to fight in a war-like scenario. Why? People can contribute in all sorts of other ways. They don’t have to go and fight. That’s what we have an army for. Civilians should only have to fight as a last resort.

I think I’ve made a pretty damn good contribution to the betterment of our society and environment. I’d be perfectly happy with my life’s effort if I stopped having any further input at the age of 50. What about you? Can you say the same?

Continued

“No!! you'll want someone else's children that you didn’t have, to go and fight for you.”

I’ll want our armed forces to do it, of course. What would you have us do; reintroduce conscription, including for those over 50 who are physically fit enough? Or would you compel all citizens to fight and to be trained accordingly?

“What about if bloody ethnic warfare or civil war breaks out in this country between the big tribes bought here by immigration in a few decades who's children are going to be standing around you for protection?”

I’m calling for a reduction in immigration, and I have been for many years. I’ve been trying to prevent a scenario of civil disruption between different ethnic groups from ever developing. You express concern about this, so what have you been doing about it? Of course I would be willing to contribute in any way that I could if this sort of scenario did develop and become a huge threat to our way of life.

Come on sharkfin. You’re on the wrong track with this sort of stuff. The sort of passionate people that contribute prolifically to OLO and other forums are very likely to be the sort of people that would get out there and fight or strongly contribute to solving problems like this, wouldn’t you think?

“You want all the benefits and protection that having a community around you provides but you want it for free.”

Aha!! There’s that whacky conclusion…. based on nothing but a considerable degree of hatred for those who don’t have kids…..apparently. Dear o dear!

http://www.familyassist.gov.au/Internet/FAO/fao1.nsf/content/payments-maternity_payment

This is for those that want to find out how the baby bonus works.