Carers say more to be done

The turmoil over carer bonuses during the past week has highlighted deficiencies in the support system for carers.

In welcoming the Prime Minister’s assurance that carer bonuses will be paid upfront and included in the budget forward estimates, chief executive officer of Carers Australia, Joan Hughes, said it was evident that more needed to be done.

“We are obviously pleased that Mr Rudd has given carers certainty on this issue” Ms Hughes said.

“But in a practical sense, it doesn’t leave carers any better off than they were before all this began.

“The clear message that has come out of this episode is that urgent reform is needed to support carers financially. The current system is confusing and inadequate.”

Ms Hughes was also critical that cuts to carers’ income was ever being considered.

“Carers who receive both the Carer Payment and the Carer Allowance as well as the associated bonuses are still living off around $200 per week below the Federal minimum wage.

“It is astonishing that it was ever considered to reduce carers’ income further in order to subsidise what are possibly going to be the most unpopular tax cuts in history.”