Kevin Rudd, Australia’s recently elected Prime Minister has delt out a Christmas bonus for families with children and pensioners. Families will receive $1000 per dependent child and pensioner get $1400 if they are single and $2100 for a couple.
This sounds great, however now he is encouraging everyone to go out and spend it all on Xmas. Apparently this may keep our economy afloat if this money is injected back into the system, keeping jobs secure and businesses booming as usual at Christmas time. But is spending this bonus going to help the actual individual people in the long run. What happens when the money runs out and the bills start piling up.
It makes me wonder if this is good advice coming from Kevin Rudd, the supposed leader of this country. Isn’t it better to save the money for what could happen in the future?
That’s not the point, the point of the bonuses is so that we will spend it and keep the economy functioning. If everyone saves this bonus then there was no purpose for awarding it, which basically, is the major criticism of Rudd’s stimulus package … that in times of economic hardship, people will be more inclined to save then spend.
CRN 204284657B
Dear Sir,
I became a pensioner on 12th December 2008 and
wondering why haven’t I received the Christmas Bonus?
Thanks
ESHAYA MIRZA
hello Mr Rudd
yes I would like to thank you for the bonus it did come in handy for me at xmas time it helped buy xmas presents for my 10 grandchildren,food and to pay bills and to buy extra things for my great nephew also he is my foster son my great nephew which is now 12 years of age
I would just like to say when you have a child in your care
with serveer adhd and depression I would think there would be a lot more govement help for us instead of giving the big baby bonus which encourages girls to have babies and to have the govement to help them out please try to help the cares over 50 to help servive better as it costs a fortune to put them through school and to raise them
It might sound like I am ungratefull no I am not thank you again I just feel the carers that have worked now try to rare thier families ,grandchildren,great nephews ,nieces with illnesses should like A.D.H.D and depression also other illness should be looked at with the govement instead of baby bonus and giving a rise to every pensioner ,I am not talking about the old I am talking about the young ones that should get of thier buts and work instead of recieving the benifits
thank you
He has given another bonus since then…But the country is still going to recession.. I think he is planning another bonus again also. How is this money going to be paid back???
Re: bonus Give tax cuts to small business and cut all stamp duties. Cash is a vote buy, cash must go to nation building, infrastructure and to create more jobs. The budget deficit forecast at $33.2 billion could top $50 billion all on bank card to Chinese. Kevin Rudd has not a clue. My grandchildren will pay for his mistakes.
My mother taught us how to cope when the going got tough the tough got busy .No cash hand outs from government. No more baby bonus. Give the pensioners a rise, they never got a bonus ever. Get a garden on the go get chickens to have eggs. Cash hand outs never stimulate the economy because in the meantime most of our industry & trade have gone overseas .All the cash would have stopped that!!!!!!!!
I loved receiving the money from the Government – who wouldn’t!! I’m also looking forward to the education refund at the end of the financial year! What I’m worried about is how will this effect our economy – OK I will spend my money I have kids! The country is now officially in recession, if more of us lose our jobs and end up on the dole line how will the country pay for it? Where will the money come from? Labour has always been great at looking after the families but at what cost? I just hope that some more serious thought goes into how to get Australia out of the recession before throwing more money at people to win hearts! Australia is the lucky country lets ride this recession wave together and come out on top – hopefully soon!
mr. rudd i’m wondering are you going to help us again for 2009 christmas because we all appreciated it and not all of us are fortunate and this is great for families who are battling and also helps the economy so are we going to get another nice christmas present ??????
From what I can gather, there is to be no Christmas bonus this year. Why am I not surprised? Carers deserve better than this…how much money do we save the country by sacrificing our own financial well-being to care for the disabled in the community?
CHRISTMAS GOIN TO BE BAD THIS YEAR I CANT GET MY KIDS MUCH BEACUSE I HAVE FIVE KIDS AND ALOT OF BILLS SO I HOPE THEY UNDERSTAND
The $10.00 rise given in September works out at $520.00 over a full year, (but only about $120.00 since September as it wasn’t back paid, unlike politician’s pay rises.) The $1000.00 as paid in previous years would have worked out at approximately $20.00 per week. Are we getting shafted or what?
Hi my names Ron i used to be on shared care of 30% for my children since the care ratios were changed i now get nothing at all for them i still pick them up look after them for the holidays buy clothes and i do this on a single disability support pension it aint easy.
I was until recently traveling 1000klms per fortnight in a single weekend to pick them up drop them off .
but they where relocated to South Australia and to keep in touch with them i moved too they are much closer now and the recent pension increases have helped so thank you for that but i believe that shared care arrangements need to be delt with on a case by case basis one formula dosent apply to all any futher help would be greatly appreciated regards ..
Ron..
Today the senior community faces a number of challenges to a happy and worry-free retirement. Pensioners and retirees have a feeling of helplessness and abandonment. They feel they have no control over their plight as companies and governments find this segment of our society easy pickings. Worries about keeping their homes, skyrocketing health costs and the ever increasing cost of food have many wondering what will happen to them as they age. Seniors need help in finding ways to alleviate these burdens. At this stage, they deserve a break on the high cost of living and a peaceful way of life.