Australia Paying Citizens to Procreate
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  Australia Paying Citizens to Procreate
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Author Topic: Australia Paying Citizens to Procreate  (Read 2529 times)
KEmperor
Junior Chimp
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« on: May 12, 2004, 07:56:05 PM »

CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — Facing a falling birth rate, the Australian government has a simple message: Go forth and multiply. It's prepared to pay new parents who take up the call.

"Come on, come on, your nation needs you," Prime Minister John Howard said Wednesday, when asked about a one-time $3,000 Australian ($2,100 U.S.) payment for all new mothers announced by Treasurer Peter Costello in the annual budget.
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Kodratos
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« Reply #1 on: May 12, 2004, 09:03:42 PM »

I love John Howard
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Platypus
hughento
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« Reply #2 on: May 13, 2004, 12:31:16 AM »

I despise him. This budget is a joke. They are giving tax cuts to people over $52000 a year, but nthing to those under, and the excuse the american use that "it will boost the economy" just doesnt work, we have the most sucessful economy in the western world. That is partially due to the Howards government, for sure, but if the price is appaling social positions, then it isn't worth it.

The baby bonus, btw, is stupid. we need to boost our birthrate by bringing in young immigrants, refugees, asylum seekers, etc etc. Whilst we should encourage our current citizens to have babies, we shouldn't do it finacially. We should encourage them to have kids in a country with oustanding education, healthcare, liberties, diversity, etc etc.
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Filuwaúrdjan
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« Reply #3 on: May 13, 2004, 04:01:56 AM »

Buying votes...
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Kodratos
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« Reply #4 on: May 13, 2004, 06:13:06 AM »

I despise him. This budget is a joke. They are giving tax cuts to people over $52000 a year, but nthing to those under, and the excuse the american use that "it will boost the economy" just doesnt work, we have the most sucessful economy in the western world. That is partially due to the Howards government, for sure, but if the price is appaling social positions, then it isn't worth it.

The baby bonus, btw, is stupid. we need to boost our birthrate by bringing in young immigrants, refugees, asylum seekers, etc etc. Whilst we should encourage our current citizens to have babies, we shouldn't do it finacially. We should encourage them to have kids in a country with oustanding education, healthcare, liberties, diversity, etc etc.

Immigrants, refugees, asylum seekers? Most Australians don't want them there(Maybe not in Darlinghurst). I seem to remember a certain boat from Norway, and that it was the best thing to ever happen to Howards career as Prime Minister. He wouldn't even be Prime Minister had he not taken such a hardline stance on immigration.

I think however only giving tax cuts to those earning $52,000 or more is unfair(even though that is not a very high wage in Australian dollars).
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Huckleberry Finn
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« Reply #5 on: May 13, 2004, 07:35:02 AM »

Sounds typical welfare state policy. Politicians buying votes with nice benefits and people becoming more and more dependent on government benefits. Just like in Scandinavia. And when depression  comes they are forced to cut off. If they can. This kind of systems are difficult to cancel.
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English
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« Reply #6 on: May 13, 2004, 08:22:26 AM »

Dreadful policy. Howard is a complete idiot.
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NewFreedom
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« Reply #7 on: May 13, 2004, 01:20:59 PM »

I totally agree with hughento on the way to increse birthrates.
People should have children ebcause they feel they will brign them up in a GOOD situation, not because they get some more money!

I do not oppose giving financial aid to parents who need it... but that is helping them when in need, not payign them to have children!
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Brambila
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« Reply #8 on: May 13, 2004, 11:06:49 PM »

I hear Australia is more pro-life than America.
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Carey
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« Reply #9 on: May 14, 2004, 01:28:44 AM »

This is a pretty silly proposal, to be honest. It's a band-aid solution to a greater social problem.

This budget was a complete waste of time. Howard's days are definately numbered it seems. Look for more negative slandering of Latham to come (that seems to be the only thing they can rely on nowadays.)
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Carey
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« Reply #10 on: May 14, 2004, 01:32:29 AM »

I hear Australia is more pro-life than America.

Not exactly. While I'd concede most Australians probably see abortion as morally wrong, Australians aren't too fond of laws that enforce moral codes. Most Australians seem to have the attitude of "I personally am against XYZ and think it is wrong, but I don't think there should be a law against it" for such things.
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Platypus
hughento
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« Reply #11 on: May 14, 2004, 01:50:28 AM »

Carey, that is EXACTLY right.

We, as a nation, don't allow fringe groups to overly dominate the agenda-ie, socialist alliance, or "Famalies First'. I notice that all the major issues are being driven by the fringes in the US, and feel it is a shame. Australians are moderate-and accepting of majority of opinion. Whilst I would say that most australian actually are in favour of limited abortion, 9as opposed to carey) he was 100% right in saying that we hate laws based on morals. One person's morals is not anothers, and it is unfair to force them on someone else. We havea system where the majority rules, or at least a concensus, and usually our PMs don't break this.

John Howard was an exception in 2001 when he diided australia in two over the boat people, and the Tampa. Australia fell towards the right, and have had to live with he consequences.

Interesting to ot, Kodratos, a survey in The Age of people living in Melbourne's most marginal seat (Deakin, held by the Libs by under 2%), 59% of voters felt guilty about the governments' immigration hardline in 2001, and 55% said they would be voting Latham FOR CERTAIN.

Whilst Latham has suffered a bit in the polls, and the 55% figure might now be diferent, it is unlikely that the amount of people who felt guilty has changed, because Latham never used it in his campiagining before that poll was taken.


I know I feel ashamed of Australia's policy on immigration; a policy that detains children in the desert, seperates families, and has been juded by the red croos, as WORSE THEN GUANTANAMO BAY.

No, we shouldn't let the 'floodgates' open, as Howard says, but we should have a humane and responsive immigration policy. Saing Afghanis aren't true asylum seekers is stupid-we fought a war there only two years ago! And whilst some cheat and are from pakistan, I would contend that living under Musharraf, a military dictator with nuclear capacity, is bad enough to warrant us allowing them *at minimum* TPVs.

Howard has killed off the Liberal Partys' chances of winning the youht vote for at least the next twenty years. With more then 75% of people under 25 going to vote for a party other then Liberal,even the 'moderation wuith age' philosophy will not have much effect for a long time.
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Storebought
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« Reply #12 on: May 14, 2004, 03:04:21 AM »

Well, what can you say--White people on all six continents hate making babies?

Reminds me of a recent Simpsons episode, actually.








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NewFreedom
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« Reply #13 on: May 14, 2004, 04:05:24 AM »

Question:
Does Australia habe anything like the German "Kindergeld", an amount of money regularily paid to parents whose children are still financially dependent on them?
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