Pay plan slam

By Kath Gannaway
THE proposal to tie welfare payments to school attendance could disadvantage rather than advantage children according to Anglicare Victoria.
It’s a view shared by Yarra Valley welfare groups who say getting tough on families who are already doing it tough is a flawed approach to absenteeism which could result in further isolation and ultimately homelessness for some families.
If the initial three-month trials of the program in six sites in the Northern Territory and Western Australia are successful, the government is proposing a national rollout of the program.
“We question the evidence that supports such a punitive and potentially crippling policy that seeks to create better parents by treating them like children,” Anglicare Victoria CEO Dr Ray Cleary said.
Dr Cleary’s prediction of an increase in calls on welfare organisations for emergency food parcels and other support was supported by Healesville welfare group Healesville Interchurch Community Care (HICCI) and River Valley Church in the Upper Yarra.
HICCI manager Anne Grieve said while the organisation does everything possible to help families in need, there were many reasons why children do not attend school.
One school principal told the Mail of a family which regularly misses school because they don’t have money for petrol.
Another said some parents who can’t pay for excursions would prefer to keep their children home.
Ms Grieve and The Reverend Bennett from River Valley said increased pressure on their budgets had led to them no longer providing fuel vouchers.
“In the past nine months we have seen about a 30 per cent increase in the number of people wanting food just to extend the their food budget.
“We get people who simply can’t afford to buy lunch for their children,” Ms Grieve said.
“If anyone came to us and said they couldn’t get their children to school, we would try to help in other ways but some people don’t like coming in … they feel like they’re begging,” she said.
Some teachers, however, do call on HICCI to help out when they see a child might miss out on a camp or excursion.
Rev Bennett, who is chaplain at Millwarra Primary School in Millgrove and East Warburton, said while he didn’t believe there was a high level of absenteeism in the Upper Yarra Valley, he had concerns about tying welfare to behavioural issues.
“Ultimately it’s the children who end up suffering,” he said.
“It’s the same dilemma when people present for food parcels. You are aware that sometimes they are in trouble because of other priorities but even when you know bad choices have been made you don’t let innocent children go hungry,” he said.
Rev Bennett said a rise in people calling on welfare would inevitably follow if people were cut off their Centrelink payments – for whatever reason.
He agreed with Ms Grieve’s concern that taken off regular payments, some families would find themselves on the street.
“A lot of low-income people are on Centrepay and have their rent deducted from income support before they get it.
“If Centrelink stops paying, for whatever reason, then Centrepay ceases and the landlord doesn’t get his money.
“It’s a pretty short leap to what comes next,” he said.