By CASEY NEILL
A NOBLE Park North single mum has said the proposed Federal Budget will make life more difficult for the community’s most vulnerable.
Sera, who didn’t want her full name published, has started a petition against several budget measures.
The youngest of her two children has autism and attends Springvale Park Special Developmental School.
Sera said it was difficult to work and give her son the care he needed so she relied on welfare support payments.
“The current budget affects many vulnerable people in the society,” she said.
Sera is opposed to cuts to the Family Tax Benefit Part B on the grounds that many families were struggling with day-to-day living, earning just enough to pay rent or a mortgage, bills and food.
She said parents of children with special needs, carers or single parents had to rely on Centrelink income.
“Because they can spare only one person working and another person has to do extra work at home more than normal households,” she said.
“We also need to take our children to specialists, costing extra money.”
Sera said a GP co-payment would also hurt vulnerable people including the young, elderly and people with special needs.
“Charging $7 for each visit is still a lot of burden for those who are on poverty lines,” she said.
“Skipping the doctor visits may cause serious consequences for the patients.”
Sera is also calling for more disability support from the government.
“The $80 billion cut to public schools funding already damage the school communities,” she said.
“Together with the rising cost of living, it is an extra burden for us as parents.”
She said children with special needs couldn’t access funding for sessions with specialists – speech or occupational therapists, psychologists etcetera – when they turned seven-years-old.
“Other support services will provide a short-term funding, however it will take many years to be on the top of their lists,” she said.
“We need more funding for the Department of Human Services to provide us more flexible support packages which include sessions with specialists – especially for children over seven years old.”
Email setsugon@outlook.jp to get involved with the petition.
