World · East Asia & Pacific · 5 hrs ago
Melbourne mother says Centrelink payments total A$4,124 a month
Jenn, a Melbourne mother of three, receives A$4,124 a month from Centrelink in government payments.
She said the total includes single-parent payments, family tax benefits, rent assistance and several smaller supplements.
Jenn said she was made redundant from her copywriting job last year and was also going through a divorce.
She shared the breakdown online to show what government support looks like for a single parent, saying the money was not enough to provide the standard of living she wanted for her children.
Some critics compared her payments with their own earnings and objected to her describing the money as income she had “made.”
Jenn said she chose that word deliberately and noted that she had worked since she was 14 before losing her job.
She said there is no shame in needing support, while acknowledging that working families are also struggling with living costs.
Melbourne mother of three Jenn said she receives A$4,124 a month in Centrelink payments.
She said she began receiving the payments in recent months after being made redundant last year.
Jenn said she shared a breakdown of her household income to show what government support looks like for a single parent.
She said the amount was not enough to provide a livable wage and improve her family’s standard of living.
Some viewers criticised her wording and compared her payments with their own take-home pay.
- Who
- Jenn, a Melbourne mother of three, and right-wing commentator Carla Efstratiou.
- What
- Jenn said her Centrelink payments total A$4,124 a month, prompting criticism of her description of the money as income she “made.
- When
- Jenn said she began receiving payments in recent months; she shared the breakdown in a social media video. Exact dates are not stated.
- Where
- Melbourne, Australia.
- Why
- Jenn said she wanted to show what government support looks like for a single parent raising three children.
Jenn
Carla Efstratiou
Description of payments
Jenn
Jenn described the Centrelink money as income she “made” and said viewers understood what she meant.
Carla Efstratiou
Efstratiou said Jenn had not earned the money and had been given taxpayer dollars.
Adequacy of support
Jenn
Jenn said A$4,124 a month was not a lot for a parent raising three children and wanted to increase her income to a livable wage.
Carla Efstratiou
Efstratiou questioned whether the amount single parents receive from taxpayers was justified.
Jenn said she was made redundant during a downturn in her industry.
Jenn said she began receiving Centrelink payments.
Jenn shared a social media video breaking down her monthly Centrelink payments.
Jenn published a follow-up post addressing criticism of her use of the word “make.
- Monthly Centrelink total
- A$4,124
- Single-parent payments
- A$2,075 a month
- Family Tax Benefit Part A
- A$1,333 a month
- Rent assistance
- A$432 a month
- Family Tax Benefit Part B
- A$384 a month
- Other listed payments
- A$60 pension supplement, A$24 energy supplement and A$14 pharmaceutical allowance
What people are saying
So my total income for the month from Centrelink was $4,124, which in this day and age, in this economy with three kids, is not a lot of money
I would love to at least increase my income to a livable wage so that I could afford clothes for my kids and increase our standard of living.
No shame in needing support
You didn't make anything. You were given taxpayer dollars. You didn't earn that. You didn't go out and work for that. So you didn't make it; you were handed it.