Latest news with #singleMum
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
'Disgusting' sight on roadside moves Aussie driver to tears: 'No excuse'
A 'shocked and disgusted' Aussie driver is demanding action be taken after she was 'moved to tears' on Sunday morning while travelling on a busy road. Kayla Gallop, who lives on the southwest coast of Western Australia, has noticed illegally dumped items steadily piling up on Stock Road — located near an expanding housing development in Lakelands — for the past six months. The single mum frequents the area every two weeks, and has grown increasingly frustrated with the growing piles of discarded belongings, but what she witnessed last weekend left her brimming with anger. After pulling over to take photos of lawn mowers strewn across the reserve, Gallop and her two young children watched in horror as a kangaroo with a joey hopped through broken glass and over a smashed TV. 'It just absolutely killed me,' she told Yahoo News. 'It was really eye-opening and I thought I'm not going to sit back anymore — this has been annoying me for months. What are we doing to the earth? What are we showing our children? 'It was very symbolic… it was a mother kangaroo and her baby, and I'm there with my babies, and I want more for them, and I want more for the environment.' Within hours, Gallop had reported the illegal dumping — an 'all too familiar story' nationwide amid the race to solve the housing crisis — to the City of Mandurah and made a call out online for locals to 'do better'. She even created the hashtag 'Don't Take a Dump in Mandurah'. However, some people responded that the price of the tip may lure residents who are struggling with the cost of living into the 'grubby act'. At Mandurah's Waste Management Centre, tossing a boot-load of items will cost $25 for those driving a sedan, and $37 for a SUV. Those hauling a trailer measuring under a cubic metre will have to pay $51, with the price jumping up from there depending on the size. To help solve the issue, Gallop, who herself is a low-income earner, told Yahoo News the City of Mandurah should offer one day a month during which those struggling to make ends meet could take their rubbish to the tip for free. Homeowners in the area are given four tip vouchers each year, but it is often a struggle for renters to get a property manager to pass them on, the mum said. 🔧 Tradie fined $30k after photo sent to council catches him in 'grubby' act 🚘 Driver slapped with $2,580 fine after trying to save $20 🚧 Photo exposes illegal act 'surging' across Australia: 'Worst I've seen' Mayor Caroline Knight told Yahoo 'sadly, the illegal dumping of waste occurs in bushland across the city and in other local government areas on both public and private property, leading to environmental impacts, and costly clean-ups for the city and affected landowners'. An investigation into the dumping along Stock Road is underway, she confirmed. 'There is no excuse for this type of behaviour, as through the annual waste collection program, the city provides plenty of opportunities for people to correctly dispose of their waste,' Knight said. 'Anyone caught illegally dumping can be prosecuted under the Litter Act 1979, which can attract penalties of up to $10,000.' The minimum fine is $200. Earlier this year, Danny Gorog, CEO and founder of Snap Send Solve, told Yahoo the growing problem 'signals a bigger issue with waste disposal accessibility and awareness'. 'Whether it's dumped tyres in fields or household waste dumped in laneways, it shows we need better solutions to make proper disposal easier and more convenient,' he said. 'While most people do the right thing, it only takes a few to create a big mess for everyone else.' Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@ You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube.
BBC News
24-05-2025
- Automotive
- BBC News
Driving lessons: Learners struggle to pay before test, but instructors say pricing fair
Paige Williams is desperate to pass her driving three-year-old son sometimes has "meltdowns" on public transport, where he might scream, cry or throw himself on the floor, she says. She just wants to be able to visit family and go on day trips more the 28-year-old single mum, from Barnsley, is having to drastically cut back on how much she spends on food, gas and electricity to be able to afford her £35-an-hour lessons, which she's been having since September."It's literally scrimping and scraping to be able to manage to get one lesson a week," she says. As the cost of driving lessons continues to rise alongside an already high cost of living, experiences like Paige's may be becoming increasingly common. The BBC has spoken to more than a dozen learners and parents of learners who say they're frustrated by how much they have to pay - and also to instructors who argue that the prices are instructors can charge what they like, and the DVSA does not release official statistics on average lesson costs. But a DVSA survey completed by more than 5,000 approved driving instructors (ADIs) in September shows how prices have shot up in recent the survey, the most common price bracket for an hour lesson was £36 to £40 per 31.5% of driving instructors said they charged £35 or less per hour - that number had halved since the DVSA's June 2023 survey. While 20.8% said they charged more than £40 an hour - nearly triple as many as in June 2023. For many people, driving is essential for taking their kids to school, going to work or carrying out caring responsibilities. Public transport might be unaffordable, inaccessible or simply not available for some people. Two-thirds of people in Great Britain who commute to work drive in, and 45% of five-to-10 year olds are taken to school by car, Department for Transport figures from 2023 Kamara, a 23-year-old in Birmingham, needs a licence for her dream job - being a runner in the media industry. But the £60 cost of her two-hour driving lessons means she's only having them once a fortnight, which isn't as frequently as she'd like, and means it will delay when she can take her test. She says she'd love to have lessons weekly but it would mean she'd have to cut back on spending money seeing her friends. Other people also say that the high cost of driving lessons means it's taking them longer to learn to than having the two lessons a week she would have liked, Sandra Onuora, a 30-year-old civil servant in Newcastle, had three per month until she passed her test in March."That was all I could afford," she says. And even then, "I had to take a lot of money from my savings" for her £39-an-hour lessons, she she had to space out her lessons more, she had to wait longer until she felt ready to take her test. She'd spend hours every week travelling between her home, her son's childminder's and her office, taking six buses every weekday."It was a rough year," says Sandra. She would return home "so exhausted". And just as driving lessons become more expensive, some learners are also finding they're having to take more of them. That's because of a huge practical test backlog, which means learners are having to take lessons for longer to keep up their Rose hasn't been able to book a driving test near where he lives in Bridgwater, Somerset, for his 17-year-old son, Brandon. The best option he could find is an hour's drive away in Newport, Wales, and isn't until says that his son is ready to take his test, but will need to keep taking lessons at a cost of £76 for a two-hour session to maintain his skills. "We're being forced into spending money that we don't need to," Keith says. Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander has acknowledged that waiting times for tests are too long and pledged to reduce the average waiting time for a driving test to no more than seven weeks by summer 2026. Instructors say that they have little choice but to charge these kind of rates if they want to make a profit."Prices for driving lessons are where they should be, having been probably under-priced for many years," says Stewart Lochrie, the owner of a driving school in Glasgow and chair of the Approved Driving Instructors National Joint Council (ADINJ). "I think the price was overdue a reset."Stewart notes that the UK's more than 41,000 approved driving instructors are having to pay more for the expenses associated with their jobs like buying or leasing a car, fuel, insurance and maintenance."We have costs to cover as well and if the things that we need to run our business go up, then our prices will have to go up as well," he says. The rising price of lessons "isn't really translating to a pay increase in our pockets," adds Terry Edwards, a driving instructor in Ashford, Kent. His expenses include around £280 a month on fuel, £135 on insurance and £440 on car costs include servicing, repairing and cleaning his charges £39 an hour, but offers a discount for buying in bulk. While customers "don't generally push back" against his prices, some "try and be a bit cheeky" and ask for discounts, he says. For Amy Burnett, a pharmacy advisor in Glasgow, the prices are so high that she's avoiding learning for the time being. The only instructors she'd found with availability charge between £50 and £60 an hour, she says."I'm living pay cheque to pay cheque as it is," the 22-year-old says. But she sees being able to drive as an investment in her future - she'd have more freedom and she's had to limit her previous job searches to roles accessible by public transport, she says. Amy hopes to pass her test by the time she's 24 - if she can find a more affordable instructor with availability in her area, she says. Paige, the mum in Barnsley, is sure her frugality will be worth it in the end. Being able to drive would make it much easier for her to return to work, she it would make journeys with her son much less stressful, she says. Most of all, she wants to take her two children to the seaside."It'd be so good for my son Ronald, with his sensory needs," Paige says. "Getting to go on the little arcade rides and seeing his little face would be lovely."
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Alina creates welcoming shop for traders to sell their wares
IN 2018 I was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis and also discovered I have some degenerative issues at the bottom of my spine. I started looking into alternative options to help me change my lifestyle and manage pain. I spent many hours investigating alternative medicine, holistic therapy, herbalism, Ayurvedic herbalism and skincare. Skincare was something I looked into from 2011, when I had to see several doctors and dermatologists for my skin. Unfortunately some of the products they prescribed made my situation worse. I stopped using anything fragranced or perfumed. In 2022 I had my son and stopped working. When he was nine months-old I decided to create an online page and start practising what I had learned. With little money left after getting divorced, I bought some materials, ingredients and paid for cosmetic assessments to start making and selling my own skincare products. There's a good variety of products in the shop Aromatherapy oils Alina in her shop Online interest and following took a while to build up so I started taking part in events and markets. Some refused my attendance because I had to bring my son along, while others took a lot of effort and money. Even with my son starting nursery, returning to work as a single mum is not an option as I have nobody to look after him if the nursery is closed or he's poorly. Also, I wanted him too much to work just to pay for childcare and rarely see him. Through events and networking I met some amazing people with similar issues that led them to run their business from home. Many had closed due to lack of sales and related mental health issues. That's how the idea of opening a small business collective came to me - what if I bring several businesses under one roof so we can help each other? I applied for a loan and also reached out to different people with businesses I've bought from or met through my social events. I offered them a space in the shop for a small fee. Their payments go towards paying bills and any other related shop expenses. Many agreed to join me months before I even got the keys. I came across the shop in Shipley, where I had lived for ten years. When I saw it I got a good feeling. The street is nice with mainly female-run businesses and as a spiritual person it called to me. Colourful scarves in the shop Trader Susan Brophy with a crocheted shawl she made Alina in her shop When I finally got accepted for the loan I only received half of the requested and required amount, which meant most of the work I had to do myself. A couple of friends and my nephew came to help for a few hours, which made it easier. However, the loan got me into debt, especially as I had to limit my expenses. My eldest brother sent me some money to help but it has been a struggle. At the moment I'm looking into grants and maybe another loan to finish the work and display of the shop . Even so I am proud of myself and what I've achieved so far. I make a variety of skincare products such as soap, body butters, face and body oils, hemp and magnesium balms and aromatherapy oils. Most of my ingredients come from The Soapery, which is a British supplier of natural ingredients for cosmetics. I have people of all ages, mainly women, and from all over the UK, sending their products to me. People sell bath and body products, jewellery, crystals, scarves, resin and polymer decorations, 3D printing, children's clothing, crochet and many personalised gifts. One of the crafters in the shop is using her stock to raise money for Cancer Research UK. After recovering from breast cancer she started using her talents for the cause and so far she's raised £12000. Another charity we have is the Rotary Club of Shipley - they use their proceeds to help the local community. I have two mothers who have SEN children, who work their business around their care. I have a single mother-of-three who was widowed during her pregnancy with her youngest, so her business had to be designed around caring for them. A display inside the shop Alina's Gifts in Shipley Another look inside Several of us suffer with chronic pain, some have social anxiety and is hard for us to find a job that accepts us with our commitments and issues. The shop is a lifeline for many of us. Some of the people have actually made more sales through the shop than on their own. Some were thinking of closing down before they joined. For some having something to do and creating something is so important for their mental health - they see it as an opportunity to keep creating and not give up. I hope I managed to bring opportunities for everyone involved. The shop is an important part of my life and I want it to succeed. It allows me to work at my own pace, engage and interact with people while still being able to spend time with my son. We also host workshops in crafts such as origami and crochet, which are very popular. Working in the shop is such a joy for me, it has a calming vibe and I really enjoy it. Having my son with me while being able to do something is such a relief too. *Alina's Gifts, 29 Westgate, Shipley BD18 3QX; visit Alina's Gifts on Facebook and Instagram
The Sun
08-05-2025
- Health
- The Sun
Mum's face ‘blew up' and painful red blisters engulfed her whole body after she spotted black mould spores in her home
A MUM suffered a horrific allergic reaction after living in a mould-riddled flat that was so damp mushrooms started growing on the furniture. Joanna Hayes' face "blew up" at one point, and her body was engulfed in painful red blisters. 12 12 12 Her two-year-old daughter also broke out in rashes and needs an inhaler, which the mum linked to the grim state of their home. They moved into the two-bedroom flat in Stourport-on-Severn, Worcs., last June but within months the property was covered in black spores. Shocking photos show mould spreading across the walls as well as shoes which Joanna put in the bottom of her cupboard. Mushrooms were also visibly growing on the sofa in the damp living room. At one stage, Joanna, 42, was taken to hospital after her lips swelled up to twice their normal size as she went into anaphylactic shock - a life threatening allergic reaction. Her daughter also developed large painful red rashes on her face. Joanna said she is now too scared to enter the property and she and her daughter have been forced to sleep in their car. The single mum, who works as a charity fundraiser, said: "Soon after we moved in, we noticed shadows on the walls and black mould. "I initially treated it myself but the mould got worse and worse the colder it got to the point where the wallpaper was falling off. "When the wet weather set in, the damp and mould became more and more obvious. Our home is so mouldy mushrooms and flies infest walls - it's making us sick "When I open my daughter's bedroom door in the morning, a huge wave of freezing cold air hits me. "There is a big patch of mould in the living room and even mould under the bed. It is everywhere." Joanna is now demanding that Community Housing, which owns the flat, get rid of the mould or find her a new home. She added: "I reported it to Community Housing and the team did a mould wash, but it didn't work and it just keeps coming back. 12 12 12 "Me and my daughter have started to suffer endless chest infections and ENT issues so my two-year-old needs an inhaler. "She shouldn't need an inhaler at two, she's just exhausted." Joanna said the turning point came when she was cooking dinner and suddenly became out of breath. She recalled: "I thought it might just be stress, but then I started having heart palpitations and became dizzy. I'm in fear for my life and I can't risk dropping down dead in the property and leaving my two-year-old to fend for herself Joanna Hayes "I thought I was going to lose consciousness and my face started to swell. I managed to call 999 and my mum to come and look after my daughter. "I had an epipen from a previous reaction, but it was out of date. When the paramedics came, they confirmed that I'd gone into anaphylactic shock. "I told the paramedics about the mould and they went into my daughter's room. "They said the conditions were unacceptable. "The reaction made me realise that something sinister is going on in the flat and the mould spores are having a physical impact on my health. "I'm in fear for my life and I can't risk dropping down dead in the property and leaving my two-year-old to fend for herself." Nowhere else to turn Joanna is currently having allergy tests conducted by the GP, but they have advised her to leave the property due to the health risks. She said: "It must be affecting the whole building as community housing sent out someone from the mould and damp team who said it is a 'very serious' issue and not a simple fix. "The water is going in above the damp and although they have tried to help, it doesn't sound like there is an easy solution. "This is why I need alternative accommodation until they can re-house me. "My daughter has been a little trooper throughout all of this, but I need to think of her and I don't know where else to turn. "I feel like we've been abandoned by Community Housing." The signs of an allergic reaction and anaphylaxis + what to do Symptoms of an allergy usually occur within minutes of contact with with the offending food or trigger, but they can also come on up to one hour later. Most allergic reactions are mild but they can also be moderate or severe. Anaphylaxis is the most severe form of allergic reaction which can be life threatening. In some cases, anaphylaxis symptoms lead to collapse and unconsciousness and, on rare occasions, can be fatal so it's important to know how to recognise them and act quickly. Mild to moderate symptoms include: Itchy mouth, tongue and throat Swelling of lips, around the eyes or face Red raised itchy rash (often called nettle rash, hives or urticaria) Vomiting, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhoea Runny nose and sneezing Severe symptoms of anaphylaxis include: Swelling of your throat and tongue Difficulty breathing or breathing very fast Difficulty swallowing, tightness in your throat or a hoarse voice Wheezing, coughing or noisy breathing Feeling tired or confused Feeling faint, dizzy or fainting Skin that feels cold to the touch Blue, grey or pale skin, lips or tongue – if you have brown or black skin, this may be easier to see on the palms of your hands or soles of your feet Anaphylaxis and its symptoms should be treated as a medical emergency. Follow these steps if you think you or someone you're with is having an anaphylactic reaction: Use an adrenaline auto-injector (such as an EpiPen) if you have one – instructions are included on the side of the injector. Call 999 for an ambulance and say that you think you're having an anaphylactic reaction. Lie down – you can raise your legs, and if you're struggling to breathe, raise your shoulders or sit up slowly (if you're pregnant, lie on your left side). If you have been stung by an insect, try to remove the sting if it's still in the skin. If your symptoms have not improved after 5 minutes, use a second adrenaline auto-injector. Do not stand or walk at any time, even if you feel better. Sources: Allergy UK, NHS Community Housing has apologised for the conditions in her flat and said it will continue to support her to feel "safe and well" in her home. A spokesperson said: "We are sorry that Ms Hayes has been experiencing problems with damp and mould in her home. "We have been working closely with her to rectify the problem and deal with other repairs she has reported. "We have further works planned to treat the affected areas and have kept Ms Hayes informed of the progress of this. "We will continue to support her and carry out repairs to enable her to feel safe and well in her home." 12 12
News.com.au
07-05-2025
- News.com.au
‘Lap dances': Horror for woman making $1k a day as dad's secret life exposed
When Queensland woman Caitlyn* saw her salary soar to $1000 a day, she thought she had finally made it - but she couldn't imagine the devastation that lay ahead. Caitlyn met her ex-husband as a single mum and said she essentially became a 'slave' to his financial demands. A pattern emerged where he worked very little and could never hold down a job, while she was employed the whole time. 'I got a degree and was doing really well and he just would never look after the children and I would have to have the kids in childcare, even when he wasn't working,' she told Exhausted from doing everything for the children on top of working full time, she demanded a break from her job but was told by her ex-husband it wouldn't happen as they would lose the house. Caitlyn said she was even forced to borrow money from her parents, despite the couple sharing a joint back account. 'There were times I would look at the bank account and see weird things,' she revealed. 'He would disappear for a night and spend $1000. I suspect it was $70 a go having lap dances, but the bank won't tell you what he had spent the money on as you aren't the primary cardholder.' 'My Frankenstein monster' The Queensland woman didn't only experience economic abuse in the relationship, it was much worse. 'There was violence and coercion in the marriage. I didn't realise it was that. I thought domestic violence was getting strangled and punched in the face, not getting shoved and pinched and generally yelled at,' she added. Eventually, she left the marriage but she was shocked at how the child support system enabled the economic abuse to continue. 'I was supporting three households at one point – my own, his and my elderly parents. Every time I got a payrise he would know how much I earned and would take that and use that against me,' she said. 'It was disheartening. It interfered with so many aspects of my life and you work really hard and really long hours to benefit someone who doesn't want the best for you or your kids.' Things took a devastating turn when one of the children decided to live with her full time. 'At that point he screamed at [our daughter] that she had made his life untenable by leaving the house as he would no longer get child support – that's what he screamed at a 14-year-old,' she explained. 'His whole life had been around using that child support system for 10 years. I used to call him my Frankenstein monster as he was always there – able to poke and prod. It's been devastating to my mental health as I couldn't get away from him.' 'I will always earn more than him' Piper* is another high earner, who is bringing in $134,000 a year after tax, who experienced emotional and physical abuse during her relationship. 'Towards the end it got really bad. I felt like I was always defending my kids and it ended up with him breaking my finger and putting me in hospital and I needed surgery for that,' she told 'The relationship went on for just under another a year and it was awful and everything got worse. In the end, I had to go see a lawyer and go to the police basically to get him out of the house.' But she revealed that's exactly when the economic abuse began. 'I have majority care of my children and pay child support. I will always earn more than him. My ex-partner does not contribute to school costs, medical, dental bills or for other activities for my children,' she said. 'Prior to my most recent IVO on my ex-partner, I was constantly verbally abused about how I make more money than him and can afford it. He constantly approves school activities for payment and doesn't pay – telling the children he has approved it and then leaving it to myself to pay. 'I still bear the brunt of it and he gloats about it. 'Everyone seems to think if you earn over six figures that you are wealthy – when you are still paying everything.' Invasion of privacy Caitlyn is highly critical of key aspects of the child support system. 'Every tax time he got to see exactly what I was earning and it was such an invasion of privacy,' she said. Piper is also furious about the system's invasive nature and said the level of financial detail required on child support forms is 'ridiculous' and unnecessary. 'It asks for absolutely everything that you have got financially and any mortgages or personal loans and that information you are expected to fill out every time,' she said. She wants to see the child support formulas reassessed and the level of detail supplied changed. 'To put all those details on those child support forms – there is no reason to know it,' she said. 'They don't need to know that you have $2500 in your savings account or your mortgage is whatever value, they don't base it on that. They just base it on the salary from the ATO at tax time. 'They don't take into account all those other financial pieces that they are asking you for. 'I think the government has put it all in the too hard basket and I don't see it getting better before my kids turn 18 as the government processes are so slow.' 'Angry and angsty' The battle to prove a ex-partner is making money has also been a widespread criticism of the system, including for Caitlyn. 'It just causes them to be angry and angsty at the kids,' she noted. Piper said she is sure her ex-partner is fiddling with his tax return to decrease his salary as much as possible, claiming he makes less than $20,000 a year. She also wants to see changes made when she claims other parents are exploiting child support money. 'I know they try to make the kids have the same lifestyle between the same houses and that's generally benefited people, who have been primary caregivers and haven't been able to work,' she said. 'I respect that but I think there needs to be another category for people who are entirely capable of working and a test that this person is more than capable of working and deliberately not earning an income.' A system used to further control Caitlyn added there is also no way of testing how the child support money is used and in her case it meant the kids 'missing out' when they were with their father as he used it to fund his lifestyle. Instead, she was forced to cough up for anything extra curricular or even a new pair of footy boots. 'Once he stopped getting any child support for the kids at all, he completely cut them off,' she revealed. Piper agrees that the child support system makes an assumption when calculating payments that both parents are providing for the children's educational, medical and dental costs when the kids are in their care. 'However in reality this does not always occur and the current child support assessment system does not allow for that assumption to be challenged to ensure that the other parent does contribute fairly. Abusers know this and use it to control their ex-partner. This needs to be addressed,' she said. Now in her 50s, Caitlyn said she wanted to bust the myth that it was only men paying child support. 'Most people have this idea that women sit at home. There is nothing about women paying child support, it's always about these poor blokes and he has to cough up child support,' she noted. 'There's never anything about what happens to women who leave a violent relationship.' Caitlyn has been diagnosed with post traumatic stress disorder from the domestic violence she experienced. 'It's curtailed what I can earn as its gotten on top of me,' she said. 'It's hard to explain what it's like. The kids grew up and suddenly I didn't have to earn all this money to support them and I have fallen in a heap. 'We are not all high flying with great mental health. Some of us are just ordinary people who have tried really hard and been screwed over.' Count down until children reach 18 While Caitlyn is now free of the child support system, Piper dreads still having to deal with it for years to come and being 'harassed'. 'You don't want to wish your child's lives away,' she noted sadly. Every time the care arrangements change she said it takes a minimum of four months for the child support agency to assess how much should be paid. She said even when her son decided he no longer wanted to live with his dad, an interim period to assess the situation still meant she was out of pocket by $1000 despite her child being in her care full time. 'I was completely stressed by the system,' she added. 'The process is way too long and very inflexible.' 'Ultimate injustice' Professor Kay Cook, Swinburne University of Technology associate dean of research in social sciences, said often women's incomes come under a much higher level of scrutiny, particularly as many rely on the benefits system. 'Men have their own business and it's a primary vehicle where taxable incomes are reduced to almost nothing and they are then entitled to a share of the other person's income,' she noted. She said men are weaponising the child support system to continue economic abuse. 'The entire system has been able to be gained to have the victim-survivor paying them as the ultimate injustice,' she said. Professor Cook agreed the ability to challenge child support assessments was extremely difficult. 'If the person who feels like they have been treated unjustly is the victim-survivor, it's an enormous process. It's an administrative burden and cost to generate all the data and supply all the information and to try and make the case that the other parent has higher means than they reporting,' she explained. 'The other party has no obligation to engage with the process but they receive all the information the complainant submits and it's passed through to other party in the name of fairness and transparency. It benefits the respondent as not providing information makes it harder to make a decision and then a decision is more likely to go in their favour.' 'Burn' the system down Professor Cook believes the only solution is 'burn' the entire child support system down in its current form as its created a 'battleground' for 'administrate warfare' with an ex-partner. 'It's in a black hole. It's family law, it's financial counselling, financial justice, it's with the tax and benefits system – it has intersections with all these systems – and no one owns it and no one really knows what to do it,' she said. 'There is no where to get help. You can't go into the Centrelink office and get help, its only a phone line and it's hours long wait times or incomprehensible info on a website or a massive form – it's not working.' She suggests rather than an individualised system, it should be non resident parents paying higher tax to the government, which is then distributed. A spokesperson for Department of Social Services said recommendations have been made by the Joint Select Committee on Australia's Family Law System into the Child Support Scheme. They are being examined by the Department of Social Services, Services Australia, the Australian Taxation Office and the Treasury, with a particular focus on improved collection and enforcement. 'This work will inform future arrangements, including to continue efforts to ensure the Child Support Scheme is not able to be used to continue financial control and abuse after separation,' they said.
