Since 1st January 2019, the government imposed a 'wait period' to access support. 

Settling into a different country is hard enough but now the government has made it even harder by issuing a 4 year wait period from when immigration actually GRANT your permanent visa (who have an extensive backlog of around 2 years) before you can access any kind of maternity/parental support or any other family benefits regardless of how many years you have lived and paid taxes in Australia as a 'resident' or the circumstances surrounding why you may suddenly need additional support.

This ruling not only disproportionately affects women but means that vulnerable Australian citizens born to immigrants do not get the same privilege as their peers of having their mother stay at home which has further implications for breastfeeding. Having a new baby is already a vulnerable time but to be excluded from the basic rights that every other working Australian citizen has access to, can have a much deeper impact.

I reference parental payments as this is my personal experience but there are countless situations where someone has and will be negatively impacted by this new ruling if their circumstances suddenly change. My son underwent major surgery at just 3 months old so our decision to have a parent remain with him full time in the months after took a toll. Especially following a pandemic and the referenced visa fee payment in the region of $8000. Whilst we have the resources to cope, many other young families who may not even have planned a family, may not be as fortunate.

Never was the plight of an immigrant in Australia more obvious than during the beginning of the pandemic when they were advised to leave the country immediately and denied jobkeeper that their fellow long service collegues were entitled to if they stayed. Families with homes and jobs they had worked hard for over many years. Australian spouses and children in school were not exempt to this 'advice'. 

Please join me in campaigning to end this dicrimination of immigrants in Australia and help get support to where it is needed.