Women's news

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 33033, 28 September 1972, Page 7

Women's news

Welfare (Mr Smith) has described the problem as “alarming” and says that the state has not been able to keep up with it. Welfare payments had been growing too fast and other sections of welfare assistance suffering. “IRRESPONSIBILITY” The number of unmarried Victorian mothers receiving welfare assistance was estimated to have increased by 55 per cent in 12 months, blamed by Mr Smith on “the growing irresponsibility of a small section of the community ... a small group who lack any understanding and . . . are happy to feed off society.” But, he says, in most cases the girls are not well educated and better family planning is what is needed most.

Mrs Bridget Gilling. a Sydney social worker wellknown for her views on more liberal abortion and contraception, is “appalled” that someone whose job is the administration of state welfare should talk in terms of individual responsibility.

Society, she said, was responsible because it did not provide adequate contraception advice and refused to allow abortion of unwanted pregnancies. New South Wales has had an increase in illegitimate births similar to Victoria’s — nearly 10,000 altogether last year. $25 IN GRANTS The Victorian unmarried mother is $2.25 a week better off than her New South Wales counterpart. In Victoria she can receive $25.75 a week plus $2 if she has to pay rent. This assistance is the same as a Commonwealth widow’s pension. And she can have up to $6OO in the bank. In New South Wales she cannot have more than $lOO in the bank and an}' allowance she receives comes out of the Destitution Fund. It may range from $18.50 to $25.50.