Families and stores across Australia are feeling the benefits of the first Schoolkids Bonus cash payment rolling out this month.
With kids going back to school over the next fortnight, parents are out now shopping for things for school.
The Schoolkids Bonus - worth $410 for each child in primary school
and $820 a year for each high school student - is helping to lighten the
load for families. It is paid in two instalments – in January and July.
About $588 million has hit the bank accounts of 1.2 million families across Australia since payments began a fortnight ago.
That’s $588 million available to Australian families to be spent in
local businesses like book shops, shoe shops, sports shops, department
stores and stationery outlets on back to school items like school
uniforms, shoes, school books and stationery.
Families can also set some money aside to pay for future school
excursions or other future school related expenses like sports
registration fees and music lessons.
The Treasurer, Wayne Swan, and the Minister for Families, Jenny
Macklin, today visited Officeworks in Milton, Queensland to talk to
staff and local families about the how the Schoolkids Bonus was helping
them out.
In the local government area of Brisbane, about 40,600 families have
received the Schoolkids Bonus January payment worth a total of about $19
million.
The top 10 local government areas in Queensland for Schoolkids Bonus
cash payments are Brisbane, Gold Coast, Moreton Bay, Logan, Sunshine
Coast, Ipswich, Cairns, Townsville, Toowoomba, Redland.
Some families who claim their Family Tax Benefit at the end of the financial year will receive their payment then.
Families receiving Family Tax Benefit Part A, as well as young people
in school receiving Youth Allowance, and others receiving certain
income support or veterans’ payments are eligible for the Schoolkids
Bonus.
Tony Abbott has promised to cut the Schoolkids Bonus - on top of his
plans to get rid of the tax cuts and extra family payments this
Government delivered last year to help with household costs.
For the latest information about the Schoolkids Bonus and other family assistance measures, visit www.australia.gov.au/schoolkidsbonus or like the Australian Families Facebook page at www.facebook.com/FamiliesInAustralia.
Top 10 Local Government Areas (LGA) in each state and territory:
Queensland
|
LGA |
Number of families |
Total $ |
|
Brisbane |
40,625 |
$19.0m |
|
Gold Coast |
30,847 |
$14.3m |
|
Moreton Bay |
25,880 |
$12.7m |
|
Logan |
22,551 |
$11.4m |
|
Sunshine Coast |
20,315 |
$9.6m |
|
Ipswich |
13,578 |
$6.8m |
|
Cairns |
11,282 |
$5.4m |
|
Townsville |
10,202 |
$4.9m |
|
Toowoomba |
9,545 |
$4.9m |
|
Redland |
7,564 |
$3.7m |
|
Queensland total
|
256,139 |
$125.0m |
New South Wales
|
LGA |
Number of families |
Total $ |
|
Blacktown |
22,770 |
$11.9m |
|
Fairfield |
16,617 |
$8.4m |
|
Bankstown |
14,123 |
$7.5m |
|
Liverpool |
14,317 |
$7.5m |
|
Campbelltown |
11,861 |
$6.2m |
|
Penrith |
11,784 |
$6.1m |
|
Wyong |
11,038 |
$5.6m |
|
Lake Macquarie |
10,509 |
$5.2m |
|
Wollongong |
9,993 |
$4.9m |
|
Parramatta |
9,728 |
$4.8m |
|
NSW total
|
380,719 |
$191.9m |
Victoria
|
LGA |
Number of families |
Total $ |
|
Casey |
20,456 |
$10.4m |
|
Hume |
14,033 |
$7.4m |
|
Brimbank |
13,456 |
$6.7m |
|
Greater Geelong |
12,725 |
$6.2m |
|
Wyndham |
12,307 |
$6.1m |
|
Whittlesea |
11,210 |
$5.6m |
|
Greater Dandenong |
10,460 |
$5.1m |
|
Yarra Ranges |
9,169 |
$4.6m |
|
Melton |
8,802 |
$4.4m |
|
Frankston |
8,649 |
$4.2m |
|
Victoria total
|
295,930 |
$147.1m |
Tasmania
|
LGA |
Number of families |
Total $ |
|
Launceston |
4,573 |
$2.2m |
|
Glenorchy |
3,673 |
$1.7m |
|
Clarence |
3,260 |
$1.6m |
|
Kingborough |
2,160 |
$1.0m |
|
Devonport |
1,959 |
$960,000 |
|
Brighton |
1,693 |
$840,000 |
|
Hobart |
1,680 |
$740,000 |
|
Central Coast |
1,475 |
$740,000 |
|
Burnie |
1,456 |
$740,000 |
|
West Tamar |
1,409 |
$730,000 |
|
Tasmania total
|
34,660 |
$17.0m |
South Australia
|
LGA |
Number of families |
Total $ |
|
Onkaparinga |
11,845 |
$5.4m |
|
Salisbury |
10,460 |
$4.8m |
|
Playford |
7,645 |
$3.6m |
|
Port Adelaide Enfield |
7,382 |
$3.3m |
|
Tea Tree Gully |
5,595 |
$2.6m |
|
Charles Sturt |
5,525 |
$2.5m |
|
Marion |
4,446 |
$2.0m |
|
Campbelltown |
2,531 |
$1.1m |
|
West Torrens |
2,426 |
$1.1m |
|
Mitcham |
2,180 |
$980,000 |
|
SA total
|
95,447 |
$44.0m |
Western Australia
|
LGA |
Number of families |
Total $ |
|
Wanneroo |
9,883 |
$4.8m |
|
Swan |
6,968 |
$3.4m |
|
Stirling |
7,201 |
$3.3m |
|
Gosnells |
6,457 |
$3.1m |
|
Rockingham |
5,857 |
$2.8m |
|
Joondalup |
5,316 |
$2.5m |
|
Cockburn |
4,141 |
$1.9m |
|
Armadale |
3,993 |
$1.9m |
|
Mandurah |
3,790 |
$1.8m |
|
Canning |
3,427 |
$1.6m |
|
WA total
|
103,578 |
$49.4m |
Northern Territory
|
LGA |
Number of customers |
Total $ |
|
Darwin |
3,272 |
$1.6m |
|
Palmerston |
1,775 |
$860,000 |
|
Alice Springs |
1,385 |
$660,000 |
|
East Arnhem |
1,327 |
$640,000 |
|
Litchfield |
823 |
$430,000 |
|
Roper Gulf |
748 |
$410,000 |
|
Barkly |
751 |
$370,000 |
|
Victoria-Daly |
707 |
$360,000 |
|
West Arnhem |
718 |
$340,000 |
|
Katherine |
634 |
$320,000 |
|
NT total
|
13,811 |
$6.8m |
Australian Capital Territory
|
|
Number of families |
Total $ |
|
ACT total |
12,082 |
$5.8m
|
2 January 2013
Joint Media Release with:
The Hon Wayne Swan MP,
Deputy Prime Minister and Treasurer
Deputy Prime Minister and Treasurer
Image:FreeDigitalPhotos.net
