The Australian Council of Social Service has called for the Federal Parliament to reject proposals to cut the family payments of low income single parent and couple households, following the release of a new report showing that an extraordinary 19 per cent of children aged 8-14 years are going hungry.

In addition, ACOSS has renewed its call for Australia to set a clear poverty reduction target as the core purpose of economic growth and job creation. The Australian Child Wellbeing Project launched, shows that although most middle years children are doing well, almost one in five children surveyed are falling behind and going hungry.

“Our governments have forgotten that the core purpose of our family payment system is to protect against child poverty. Former Prime Minister Bob Hawke is the last leader to have placed child poverty at the centre of his Government’s agenda,” said ACOSS CEO Dr Cassandra Goldie.

Goldie said that policies of recent governments that have targeted vulnerable families, including single parents, have increased the risk of child poverty.

“Our Poverty in Australia report in late 2014 found about 603,000 or 17.7 per cent of all children, and one in three single parent families, were living in poverty,” said Goldie.

“ACOSS has long advocated for family payments to be simplified and targeted to families who need them most. Yet the Federal Government’s $4.26 billion cuts to family payments would have a devastating impact on some of the most disadvantaged parents and children, especially single parents and low income couple families.”

“Our analysis shows the cuts currently before the Senate would see a sole parent, under 60, with one child over 13 years lose roughly $2500 per year or $48 a week, and a sole parent with two children around $3000 per year or $58 per week.”

ACOSS has put forward an alternative package of reforms to family payments designed to reduce child poverty, target payments more appropriately and reduce workforce disincentives.

“We call on the Government to withdraw the current bill and rethink its approach to families policy to ensure that low income families receive the assistance they need and children get the best start in life,” Goldie said.

For more information: http://www.australianchildwellbeing.com.au