CANBERRA—Federal Families Minister Jenny Macklin failed today to placate desperate carers angry about the budget, then added insult to injury by parking in a disabled spot.
Corrine Phillips, who looks after two autistic sons, was unable to park in the handicapped spot outside the Canberra meeting venue because Ms Macklin's ministerial vehicle had taken it.
"I have a disabled sticker but I was forced to drive across the road to the shopping mall to park because the minister took priority - that makes me angry," Ms Phillips told AAP.
Inside the ACT branch of Carers Australia, Ms Macklin met carers who say they are on the brink of despair.
Jennifer Dowdy-Pitt said despite her five year-old daughter Emma, suffering from severe epilepsy, autism and developmental delays, she does not qualify for the $500 carers allowance.
"We thought she would qualify for the carers payment but we were told that she is not disabled enough," Ms Dowdy-Pitt said.
"How much worse does it have to get before I qualify? I get up six times a night to care for my daughter."
Nicola Pepper, who cares full time for her five year-old-son Koben, said carers had hoped for more in the budget.
Koben suffers from a range of disabilities including epilepsy and developmental delays and qualifies for an allowance of $98 per week.
Ms Pepper said the "begging bowl will be out" when she has to pay for his new wheelchair and Ms Macklin was trying to "sell a product that simply didn't fit".
Carers Australia budget analysis released today said the government's $822 million budget package did "nothing to adequately address the needs of carers".
But Ms Macklin said the government had made very "significant changes" in the budget to help carers.
These included the extension of the Carers Child Payment and $100 million towards supported accommodation for profoundly disabled children, she said.
"I can understand why parents are finding it incredibly tough, it's hard to manage financially ... because of the pressure on families, the lack of sleep and the constant care needs of children," she told reporters.
"That's why (there) are substantial improvements that the government's just announced."
The Carers Australia budget report described the government's package as "at best a token gesture" when carers saved government $30.5 billion a year.
"Carers' financial security should be addressed as a matter of urgency, for many of them they are living at $200 below the federal minimum wage. This is not sustainable in the long term," the report says.
It says the Carers Child Payment which Labor has pledged to extend to 19,000 families will only take effect from 2009 and the money for accommodation would help 200 families when 30,000 were in need.
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