Posted on 05/09/2007 7:06:56 PM PDT by Aussie Dasher
PRIME Minister John Howard has said he strongly believes stay-at-home parents provide the best start in life for a child.
But he has also said it is important to provide childcare choices.
"I am a very strong believer in the proposition that the care provided full-time by a parent is the most precious child care of all. I'm a very strong believer of that," Mr Howard has told Macquarie Regional Radio.
"But I'm also a believer in choice and that parents have the right to decide what is best for them and best for their children and we've tried to help both."
The Prime Minister has made the comments in response to a talkback radio caller who was critical of the baby bonus paid to new parents and to the increase in childcare benefits, saying they encouraged people to dump their children in daycare.
Mr Howard has defended the baby bonus payment of $4000 to new parents and has said along with help for childcare fees, the Government gives financial support to stay-at-home parents through a family tax benefit.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.com.au ...
Watch the hairy armpit brigade go into a frenzy....
Can we have him here in the States for a couple of terms. Screw Arnie, let’s amend the constitution for Mr. Howard. He’s got the stones to back up his beliefs. I’d love to see him slap David Gregory around.
"Mr Howard has defended the baby bonus payment of $4000 to new parents..."
He must be a compassionate conservative. I guess in the land down under, he's a lot better than the opposition.
Howard is THE man!!
I’m somewhat surprised to see comments of this nature here.
Howard is a politician trying to regain some popularity in the face of upcoming elections.
By and large, Australia is an extremely socialist country, filled with people who believe they have a right to someone elses’ money and effort. He’s giving these families taxpayer money. Money I, and thousands of others are defrauded of, who have no children to support, but are expected to pay out for other peoples children.
It’s immoral and disgraceful. Those who tout “compassion” should put their money where their mouth is, and pay for it out of their own funds, not go raiding the funds of single people in their 60’s desperately trying to save for retirement. Or, in fact, anyone elses funds at all.
I wish we had a President that would say those words!
I was using “compassionate conservative” sarcastically but in a socialist country like Australia, Howard is probably a ray of sunshine.
Not particularly.
Australia needs to boost its birth rate however, because our security requires a larger population - ‘Populate or Perish’ has been a catch cry here since the 1940s. Two ways to increase your population - immigration or birth. We accept a lot of immigrants, but immigration as a solution to underpopulation has its problems. So encouraging people to have kids is the way to go.
The two biggest reasons people who want kids, don’t have kids in Australia is the costs involved in the short term - hospital costs, buying the necessary items for the child, etc - and the economic impact of having to raise that child. The baby bonus and the child care rebates are intended to help offset those factors.
It’s not a perfect solution, perhaps, but it has nothing to do with what is referred to in America as ‘compassionate conservatism’.
Australia a socialist nation???
You two must be on some pretty strong medication!
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