Media Releases by Senator the Hon Kay Patterson
Strong jobs growth reduces number of jobseekers in year to December
Continued strong economic growth has resulted in a 5% fall in the number of people receiving unemployment benefits in the year to December 2003, the…
ALP to restore failed child care policies
The Labor Party today revealed they will revert to their old child care policies that would see families receiving less assistance for their child care…
Social Security Asset Test exemption for Canberra fire victims extended for 12 months
The Australian Government will extend for a further 12 months the assets test exemption to those people on income support whose homes were destroyed in…
No Threat to Disability Pension
The Minister for Family and Community Services, Senator Kay Patterson, today reassured people who receive the Disability Support Pension (DSP) that their payments were not…
Families receive record assistance and get to keep more of each dollar they earn
More families are receiving maximum levels of assistance and families are able to keep more of each dollar they earn, the Minister for Family and…
Labour to scrap community grassroots projects
Labor will scrap funding for local community grassroots projects that strengthen families and support communities, the Minister for Family and Community Services, Senator Kay Patterson,…
Australia contributes to draft text on convention on rights of people with disabilities
Attorney-General Philip Ruddock and Minister for Family and Community Services, Senator Kay Patterson, today announced Australia has provided a written contribution for inclusion in a…
Australia’s womens’s rights record lodged with UN
Australia’s report on actions to end discrimination against women has been lodged with the United Nations. The report is an assessment of Australia’s performance against…
New Social Security Agreement with Slovenia
The Minister for Family and Community Services, Senator Kay Patterson, today announced that the Social Security Agreement between Australia and Slovenia will come into effect…
States urged to make housing more affordable with stamp duty cuts
The Minister for Family and Community Services, Senator Kay Patterson, responding to a new report on housing affordability for low-income earners by the Australian Council…
National PMs Award Winners Announced
The Minister for Family and Community Services, Senator Kay Patterson, today congratulated the five national winners announced last night by the Prime Minister in the…
Government continues to ‘help’ parents with the cost of raising kids
The Minister for Family and Community Services, Senator Kay Patterson, today said that the ACOSS announcement did not paint a full or accurate picture of…
Number of Jobseekers in November at 12-year low
The number of people receiving unemployment benefits is at the lowest level in 12 years, the Minister for Family and Community Services, Senator Kay Patterson,…
Simplify and streamline FTB to safeguard against overpayments
The Australian Government is working to streamline and simplify Family Tax Benefit (FTB) payments to reduce the likelihood of overpayments. More than two million families…
Welcome back Wayne
The Australian Government is committed to the simplification of the claim forms for the Family Tax Benefit, which delivers an average $6000 a year to…
National Finalists announced for PM Awards
The Minister for Family and Community Services, Senator Kay Patterson, today congratulated the 10 National Finalists in the Prime Minister’s Awards For Excellence in Community…
Celebrating our volunteers
The Minister for Family and Community Services, Senator Kay Patterson, today marked International Volunteer Day 2003 by announcing funding of almost $1million to be distributed…
Report highlights dedication of carers
The latest report on welfare services in Australia highlights the dedication and commitment of 2.5 million Australians who provide care for family and friends, the…
Helping schools celebrate International Day of People With a disAbility
Schoolchildren at more than 8000 schools around Australia will use a new resource kit to knock the ‘dis’ out of disAbility and focus on ability…
Promoting research and discussion into gambling activities
Minister for Family and Community Services, Senator Kay Patterson, today opened the National Association for Gambling Studies (NAGS) 13th Annual Conference in Canberra. Senator Patterson…
Family study a welcome insight into the value of older Australians
A new report shows the positive contribution of older people to the community through their household caring and voluntary work, the Minister for Family and…
Australian Government funding for women’s group projects
A range of women’s organisations will share in nearly $520,000 in grants for policy and capacity building projects under the 2003-04 Women’s Development Programme the…
Tasmania’s Campbell Town wins National Can Do Community Awards
The Minister for Family and Community Services, Senator Kay Patterson, today named Campbell Town in Tasmania as the state and overall national winner in the…
Prominent Australian men join White Ribbon Campaign
A number of high profile Australian men including entertainers Wil Anderson and Andrew Denton supported the White Ribbon Day ceremony hosted by Senator Kay Patterson,…
Strengthening Indigengous communities and families
The Minister for Family and Community Services, Senator Kay Patterson, today announced funding of more than $1.6 million for six projects to help Indigenous communities…