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Article Is Australia’s Baby Bonus Set To Return?

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Australia’s dwindling birth rate has prompted calls for the return of the Baby Bonus, which gave parents of newborns $5000 in a bid to boost the population.

Many of us would remember former treasurer Peter Costello encouraging Australians to, “Have one for mum, one for dad, and one for the country,” in a bid to increase the nation’s falling birthrate in 2004.

Alongside calls for Australian couples to help break the baby drought in the 2000s, came the Baby Bonus, which started out at $3000 and peaked at $5437.

At the time the policy was announced, Australia’s fertility rate was 1.7 (live births per woman). For the nation’s population to remain steady without immigration, the fertility rate needs to be 2.1.

Now Australia is a facing record-low birthrate, dropping from 2.0 around 15 years ago, to less than 1.6 today. Which has reignited calls for a similar Baby Bonus scheme.

Newborn hospital

Social analyst Mark McCrindle, told The Daily Telegraph that the birth rate figure needs to be much higher, and a sweetener like the Baby Bonus could be the incentive. “Even if it went up to $10,000, it’s only a token anyway compared to the costs of raising those kids,” he said.

While politicians agree the birth rate is a concern, the jury is out on whether a revamped Baby Bonus scheme is the answer.

“If we just relied on population growth we would not be replacing Australia, it’d be shrinking as a country. Countries like Japan are already doing this and they’re in a lot of trouble because of that,” Queensland Senator Matt Canavan told Nine News.

“The problem with baby bonuses is just a cash flash. We also need to, of course, encourage economic growth, encourage people to be in the labour force. So I think putting more family benefits with the tax system would be a good idea.”

At this stage the federal government hasn’t indicated it will reintroduce the Baby Bonus.

What do you think? Should the Baby Bonus make a comeback? Let us know in the comments below. 

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Comments

  • Some people (especially young) will have a baby just for the money, as I have personally seen back when they had the baby bonus of $5,000.
    There was a 13yr old in my town that had a baby, another girl I knew spent alot of the money on crap while her parents bought alot of the baby stuff.

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  • There are a lot of pressure on yoing families already more babies is unlikely to help with this. Maybe better to increase immigration to grow population and help families wanting a better life by immigrating to the lucky country.

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  • Do we really need more babies brought into the world by parents who are looking for a bonus and aren’t prepared or willing to actually care for them properly?

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  • If they make childcare for free most of parents would think of having more than two kids! And I would be the first to do it!

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  • There are better ways of supporting families in the choice (and being able to afford) to have children. How about better maternity leave pay and cheaper child care. Baby bonuses risk children being bought into this world for the wrong reasons

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  • I understand the concept I just do not agree as having a child just for money is ridiculous.
    The country is about to hit a financial crisis we should be putting money into the system not handing it out.

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  • It would be good if people didn’t rip the system off. I would love to have another child but even with a baby bonus, we can’t afford to.

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  • Like anything, people will rort the system.

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  • It definitely will open up a can of worms. It’s great and can work for the right people, but then it also can bring kids into this world for the wrong reason. Don’t bring it back.

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  • Definitely not! Money should not be the motivation when having children. Children cost way more to raise than the baby bonus.

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  • I’d be really dissapointed if they do this…

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  • I think the reason the birth rate is so low is due to a few factors including the cost of living atm, who can afford to add to their family on top of that?Also the age of people choosing to have kids on average has also gone up. People are waiting until late 20s early 30s. I dont think the baby bonus will help as said in another coment it will just bring out people who don’t need children or unintelligent people having them for the cash

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  • Proper maternity leave and pay would be a lot more helpful to a lot more women.

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  • I don’t agree with it.
    There are already so many environmental issues like global warming and the like due to pollution and stuff so putting more people on the planet means more contribution to rubbish and the like. I think we’re over populated as is and your always hear baby news so I don’t know why the stats seem so low.

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  • Doesn’t affect me. I’m not having any more after my twins.

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  • Just encourages people who don’t co tribute to society to reproduce in my opinion

    Reply
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