A single mother-of-five claims she has no incentive to look for full-time work because she earns more in welfare payments than she would in a minimum wage job.
Alex Girle, 38, receives about $50,000 a year, tax free. She lives with four of her five children in a Melbourne public housing unit, which she pays $174 a week in rent for. She has no incentive to enter full-time employment since she earns more in welfare payments than she would on minimum wage (Source: A Current Affair)
“I earn almost $1,000 a week on welfare, why would I work for anything less?” Ms Girle asked. “It doesn’t make sense to go out and get a job,” she said.
Alex receives Family Tax Benefit Part A and B, which amounts to $1007 a fortnight. Because she doesn’t work, she also receives the Single Parenting Payment of $743 a fortnight.
As the mother of a special needs child – her 15-year-old has Cerebral Palsy – she also receives a Carers Payment of $121 dollars a fortnight. This amounts to a total $1,871.
Ms. Girle says that sometimes, it still is not enough. “It’s very hard – sometimes there are nights I’ll go without so there’s enough for the kids,” she said.
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