Dole is now taxable

Press, 22 June 1979, Page 2

Dole is now taxable

Unemployment benefits paid from October to persons without dependent children will become taxable. Mr Muldoon said it was inequitable that two persons with the same annual income should pay different amounts of tax because one received part of his income as a non-taxable benefit.

The family benefit will be doubled to $6 a child from October 17. This is expected to cost SISOM. Beneficiaries with families will receive additional benefits. The rate for the second child of a solo parent will

rise from $3 to $4 a week and the rate for a third, and subsequent children will double to $4 a week. Married couples will receive a supplement of $4 for each child.

Savings of S9M a year are expected from a restructuring of the additional benefit scheme so that it is paid as a subsidy on accommodation costs in excess of the State house rental payable by a solo parent. New and improved allowances will be made to familvhome foster parents, and voluntary organisations caring for children on a full-i

[time residential basis will receive bigger capitation subsidies.

The Minister of Social Welfare (Mr Gair) said last night that at current benefit levels a single beneficiary under the age of 20 would pay tax of $5.25 a week. A single beneficiary over the age would pay tax of $6.89 a week. “About 85 per cent of all unemployment beneficiaries are in one of these two categories,” he said. A married couple without dependent children would pay tax of $8.60 a week. 1