Anyhoo, so I'm filling the estimator in, and I'm NOT kidding here when it asks you 'how many dependent children do you have?' You can choose a number up to 29 yes... T-W-E-N-T-Y N-I-N-E! Who has 29 dependent children? I want to meet them! You can then add to that another 29 that might be dependent on your partner and another 29 you have shared care for. Bit much?
Then the bit I hate. I fill in my details for my kids, one born in 2004, and twins born in 2005. The next question says 'Are there any children who are part of a multiple birth and are under 16 years of age?'... and you know what I have to answer? I have to answer NO. Why? Because in Centrelink speak, a multiple is 3 or more. They can't count. I mean there were MULTIPLE babies (i.e. more than one) in my tummy. I remember that. I got up to two crying babies night after night..yes my memory is quite vivid. I for some reason, bring out two birthday cakes out every December.. hmmm could it be because they are TWINS?
I wish they would change it to 'Are there any children who are part of a higher order multiple birth?' because seriously those two words would make a HELL of a lot of difference to all the twin parents out there. I'm not saying I should be entitled to anything more (though it would be nice to have acknowledged that I have and will continue to buy two of the same size - same text books, no-hand-me-downs..) and the HOM families (with triplets and more) have only recently got their multiple birth allowance in 2007 after YEARS of lobbying... they SO deserve it. But to not be acknowledged as a multple birth by our own government - stinks just frankly.
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3 lovely comments:
wow, that is rubbish! perhaps it will change if a politician has multiples?
hmmm Brendan Nelson, Peter Beattie, Morris Iemma, George Bush (Jnr), Margaret Thatcher... I don't think it's going to change any time soon..
Wow Liss, that would rub me the wrong way too! Grrr to them!
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