I am a single mother and Uni and when on a placement, I have only $80 left for groceries. I have a casual on call job but need something more reliable that will let me have up to 12 weeks off a year (yeah that is going to happen) so that I can go on my placements and sit exams. Both my children are at school now, but study part time as I am locked into part time study.

I recall one time when at a BBQ where I was chatting to people when another person comes over and asks if my children are at their dads on the weekend because they wanted to organise a play date. The person I had been talking to said “You! a single mother? I wouldn’t have picked it, you don’t look like or sound like one!” Um what are we supposed to look like or talk like? We are regular people. Media have a lot to answer for.

Thank you Tania! Totally agree!

Rosetta I’m so sorry to hear of your situation. The current Government tries to make living on a benefit as difficult as possible to motivate people to get off it – but for some people with illness or disabilities, the reality is that they need a great deal of time to find those work opportunities – when we already have limited jobs available, how much harder is it for those with particular illnesses and disabilities to get jobs? You should not be punished for your health or for being a widow. This Government is failing you – they should be supporting you at a time in your life when things are already so hard and so stressful, and they should be looking at finding ways to create job opportunities rather than having a strategy of making it as difficult as possible for you to remain on a benefit.