After years of campaigning, including amendments in the Senate, the Australian Democrats have welcomed the Government’s extension of the Baby Bonus to adoptive parents of children up to the age of 16, in tonight's Budget.
This is a big win for the Democrats, who have campaigned for the change since 2003.
"This change will assist adoptive families a great deal," Democrats’ Work and Family Spokesperson Senator Natasha Stott Despoja said.
"Until now, adoptive parents of children aged over the age of two have faced discrimination for not having biological links to their children.
"Extending the Baby Bonus to families adopting children up to the age of 16 will send a powerful signal to these families that this Government believes they should be treated equally.
"I know the adoptive families I have worked with will be ecstatic about this news.
"I am also glad to have a significant win in my last Budget in the Senate," Senator Stott Despoja said.
Senator Stott Despoja has led a long-running campaign to make all adoptive families eligible for the Baby Bonus. In 2005 this led to the previous Government increasing the age limit from 6 months to 2 years, but families whose children had turned 2 when they arrived in Australia were denied the payment.
Since then, Senator Stott Despoja has continued to campaign for the age limit to be abolished, and in March this year introduced a Private Senator’s Bill to achieve this.
