Hi,
Last week the Senate delivered its report on ParentsNext. I will link to the report on this update. It was quite disappointing. Every single stakeholder (that wasn't the Govt or paid by the Govt) said that ParentsNext should be made voluntary. However the report did not reflect this. While the report says that PN should be overhauled, it still seems to suggest that there is value in a program that targets sole and single parents with young children.
I'm quite unhappy with Labor, as we had a Labor representative accept this petition calling for voluntary in Melbourne, and it seems quite disingenuous to still say they want to keep the program.
I don’t understand how anyone can think that it’s appropriate to incentivise “providers”at the expense of parents and children. I also don’t see how missing an appointment to take your child to swimming lessons is a fair exchange for a payment suspension. The ParentsNext program is about compliance and surveillance. It is about making young parents feel ashamed, and to push them to accept work that may be more detrimental and dangerous than helpful.
If anyone wants to get in touch with any stories about their experience with ParentsNext, please get in touch on my facebook page “Parents Against ParentsNext”. We need to keep the pressure up with media. Also you can share the petition if you want. Maybe we can crack 40k?
Ella