Baby bonus for early ADF enlistment : Melbourne Indymedia

The Federal Government's maternity payment of $4,000 per baby will rise to $10,000 per baby if parents arrange for their early enlistment in the Australian Defence [War] Force (ADF).

Treasurer Peter Costello says the Government has spent more than $440 million on the baby bonus program so far but now we need to help fill chronic shortages in the ADF.

The initiative is part of the Federal Government's billion-dollar overhaul of recruitment and retention schemes in the ADF.

Peter Costello says, "No capitalists, politicians, landlords, newspaper editors, or any other stay at home nationalists have applied so we are trying to ensure we don't have that problem in the future."

"A lot of parents aren't aware of the changes in our criteria, for example you can now be a cadet at age 7, up to 55, you're no longer necessarily barred from joining just because you still suck your thumb" he said.

Mr Costello says the baby bonus grants have been warmly embraced by new mothers and the payments are helping to stop the decline in Australia's birth rates.

Now he wants to work on the decline in the Australian Defence [War] Force.

"Many of the hospitals around Australia are now reporting an increase in the number of births," he said.

"That's a great thing too, because there may be some evidence that the decline in the fertility rate has bottomed out. But we still need a boost in the ADF."

"Onwards Christian soldiers," he said

http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200504/s1336395.htm

SATIRE

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