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I am 5 weeks pregnant with my 3rd baby. I stayed home for 3 1/2 years and had to go back to work. I had the luxury of staying home that long. I count my blessings. Since that time my husband lost his job of 14 years and can't find work but a lower paying job. Life's a struggle!

JENNIFER33106/HI I RESPECT YOUR OPINION AND IF I OFFENDED U I APOLIGISE IM SURE YOUR GOVERNMENT DOES THE BEST THEY CAN TO HELP AS MANY FAMILIES POSSIBLE. BUT THE 5000DOES HELP ME GET EVERY THING I NEED FOR MY CHILD THE POPULATION IN AUSTRALIA WAS NOT THAT HIGH 4 YEARS AGO BUT I MUST SAY HE GOT WHAT HE WANTED AND SOME.THATS WHY JOHN HOWARD PUT THAT IN FOR FAMILIES N TO MAKE IT SO THEY CAN GET EVERY THING THEY NEED FOR BUBS THOUGHS WHO DO THE RIGHT THING

JUST TO LET EVERY KNOW I WASNT TRYING TO OFFEND ANY ONE I AGREE I HOPE THIS IS NOT FALLING BACK ON ME CAUSE I AM REALLY SORRY IF I TURNED UP ANY ONES NOSE

EVEN THOUGH IT STILL SHOULD NOT HAPPEN BUT THE MOTHERS UNDER 18 GET SMALL WEEKLY INSTALLMENTS FOR 4MONTHS

BUT I AM ENJOYING ALL THE RESPONSES I DID NOT EXPECT TO GET THIS KIND OF REACTION .I DONT IT SO BAD CAUSE WITH THE PRICE OF BABY EQUIPMENT AND CLOTHING/DIAPERS/FORMULA /ETC /WITH GST AND FUEL PRICES /THIS MONEY DOES DO ALOT FOR THE THE MUMS AND DADS THAT DO THE RIGHT THING AND JUST TO SAY THAT ITS NOT JUST A HAND OUT ITS A HELP OUT THAT GOES A LONG WAY I HAVE A FRIEND THAT JUST RECENTLY HAD A BABY AND WITH EVERY THING SHE BOUGHT IT CAME TO JUST OVER $3500 BABY ITEMS DO NOT COME AS CHEAP AS PEANUTS

Well good for you Amber :) Baby stuff is expensive, I know. . . . $5000 would surely help, but we aren't ent_tled to that in our country. Oh well I guess, it's not something we expected when we got pregnant, we don't feel like we are ent_tled to it. It's kinda like, have kids when you financially stable over here. Accidents happen, things don't always go according to plan that's why they have state and gov. programs. But we don't get hand outs. I understand why you appreciate it though.

haha Amber, I was not offended by you at all. I understand why your govt. needed to do it. I was just giving the US side of the debate. Here, I am sure that if someone was handed a check in good faith that it woudl be used for the child, more often then not, it would go to pay for a new TV or someones $400 purse. I hope you were not offended in my opinion. :)

NO I WASNT I DID NOT EXPECT THIS MUCH RESPONSE I LIKE IT THOUGH CAUSE GOOD TO SEE WHERE OTHER PEOPLE COME FROM WITH THERE OPINIONS I LIKE KNOWING OTHER PEOPLES INSIGHTS ON IT ALL MAKES GOOD CONVERSATIONS HAHAHA POLITICAL ONES AT THAT

I really appreciate the way that everyone here is discussing this topic. It is a touchy issue that could become an all-out fight, but it seems like all opinions are being respected-even if not agreed upon! No, babies are not cheap, think we can all agree on that! What Jennifer said about TV's and stuff is true. I have worked in govn't programs that helped out low-income families and I couldn't believe what I saw in some of their homes--big screen HD TV's, new computers--expensive stuff. But their groceries and baby items are paid for by the gov't. There are honest people who have problems and need this support, but too many people are milking the system. These people have things that dh and I can only dream about right now--haha--but that's okay. Don't forget that it is not the government itself that gives money, benefits, etc, but it is taxpayers. I am a SAHM and we have to work at pinching pennies, but it is worth it!

Another little vent--sorry this is a little off the subject--but I also find that people of our age/point in life (new babies, families, etc) seem to be becoming more and more materialistic. I include myself in this category. It just seems like we all can't make do with the minimum-we need the best and a lot of it. People in previous generations enjoyed more hand-me downs, not their dream furniture clothing , etc. Anyone else find that to be true??

I AGREE HAPPYMUMMY

I agree Happymommy, but if we can afford it why not? I won't be having a baby shower with this pregnancy until after s/he is born so dh and I are pretty much buying EVERYTHING on our own. We are thinking about a "meet the baby party" a week are so after birth since Im having a planned c section and can plan it, or have someone else plan it lol. But by that time we will have bought everything. I guess we will just have food and hang out. Oh, back to the subject, lol.

I am a US citizen, but I am married to an Australian man and plan to live and have our child in Australia. I supose I can see where both sides are coming from, and having lived in both countries I can certainly see why it is easier to say in the US why there shouldn't be handouts, but why it is so importsnt here in Australia. From the Aus gov's point of view there is substancial budget to be able to give to families due to higher income taxes and MUCH less defence spending that goes overseas, so for a country with a population which has slowed in growth it is important for the future economy to keep the population growing - thus the insentive, as many people feel they cannot afford children and then wait until it is too late. Comming from America to Australia one of the big differences that overwhellemed me, was that almost every thing costs twice as much or more in Aus as it does in the US, especially fuel, food, and imported goods. Given that the US and AUS dollars are becomming closer in value (about 0.9AUS=1.0US), AUS is one expensive place to live... we spend about $200 a week just for groceries and fuel for our small car, and that is bare minumum living. In Aus the $5000 bany bonus is REALLY important. I can also say that when I did live in the US I was able to streach my money quite far, and with the right support such bonuses wouldn't be nessicary, especially since the population doesn't need to keep growing in the US. It is interesting to see the opions on both sides of the fence due to the cultural differences.

hey kas i just loved your response i agreed with every thing you said i dont have much to say to that cause you said all and i i dont have an arguement to that on ya mate

This might make some people mad but I am still going to say it. If you have to rely on the government For money to raise your child, then obviously you are not ready to have kids.

Your just speaking the truth Faye. . .