Cost Of Caring Family care, unpaid care, aged care, primary carer, palliative care, carers allowance, respite care, aged care quality and safety commission, carers leave, aged care standards, caring, when does carer payment stop, hospice care, carer payment eligibility,

17,400

Can you support the cause?

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$175,000

in superannuation at age 67^

signatures so far

This campaign is a proud social change initiative of Are Media, Australia's leading content company for women. Thank you for helping us shape a better future for Australia’s Carers.

Australia’s unpaid carers are in crisis, and it’s time to do something about it. Every day, carers around Australia put all or part of their lives and ambitions aside to care for others. People who provide informal care are not paid for their work, although some receive income support payments from the Government. Seven in 10 of these carers are women* and becoming a carer increases their financial vulnerability as they sacrifice income, future income potential and superannuation to look after someone they love. We don’t make the rules, but we sure as hell can change them.

If someone close to you needs care, it shouldn’t cost you your future.

A primary carer will lose on average...

in lifetime earnings to age 67^

$392,500

have not studied beyond high-school^

60%

of income support required over their lifetime^

43 years

Young carers on average will suffer more...

Campaign next steps

With your support, we will be asking the Government to pay superannuation to all recognised unpaid carers** in Australia. We believe that this small change will have significant benefits both for carers and the continued support of those who need care.

Investing in adequate financial assistance for carers to sustainably continue their caring roles and have security at retirement age makes economic sense. Recognising the financial impact of caring will help us all in the long term, ensuring we continue to have Australians willing and able to meet the demand for carers in the future.

READ THE 'CARING COSTS US' REPORT

OUR PARTNERS

Together, we’re committed to making a lasting impact on the lives of carers and those they support.

Spread the word

Share the petition with your social network to help drive change.

The age a person becomes a carer is significant to the financial impact of caring^

Income support through Carer Payment is less than 30% of the average weekly earnings^

The value of the Carer Allowance has significantly decreased in real time since its introduction^

There’s been no real improvement in Government expenditure on informal care during this time^

READ THE 'CARING COSTS US' REPORT

SIGN THE PETITION

Tell your story

EMAIL US

Carers Australia – National Carer Network

Support links

Mainstream and community supports

Centrelink payments for carers

Australian Carers Guide

Carer Gateway

*Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2018 ^'Caring Costs Us': The economic impact on lifetime income and retirement savings of informal carers – a report for Carers Australia **The definition for carer (under the Australian Government Carer Recognition Act 2010) is someone who gives care and support to a relative or friend who: has a disability; has a medical condition (terminal or chronic illness); has a mental illness; or is frail because they are old (known as ‘frail and aged’)

The age a person becomes a carer is significant to the financial impact of caring^

SIGN THE PETITION

Are you a carer facing financial hardship? Share your story here if you would like it to be used to support our campaign.

Young Carers

Dignified and Respectful Decision Resource

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Share the stories of some of Australia’s carers

New Idea

The Australian Women’s Weekly

Better Homes and Gardens

that’s life!

Take 5

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ACT NOW. WRITE TO YOUR MP

Make your voice heard by calling on Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Treasurer Jim Chalmers, Minister for Social Services Amanda Rishworth MP, Assistant Treasurer and Minister for Financial Services Stephen Jones MP and other key decision-makers across states and territories to support the campaign and acknowledge Australia’s carers. MPs are committed to listening to public opinion, understanding diverse perspectives and representing constituents in Parliament. The more people who contact their local MP on this issue, the greater the chance it will be addressed. As a constituent, your views hold significant weight and can influence their decisions and electoral success. That’s why it's crucial to write to your local MP and demand action. If you’re wondering how you can speak up, we’ve prepared this handy guide on messaging your MP.

Your voice matters

State and territory MPs (Members of Parliament) have the power to change laws that recognise the financial impact on Australia’s carers and the crucial work they do

Read on!

Who do I contact? You can search for your local member and find out how to contact them here. While it is most effective to contact your local MP, you could also consider contacting your state’s senators or the minister whose portfolio relates to your topic area (e.g. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Treasurer Jim Chalmers, Minister for Social Services Amanda Rishworth MP, Assistant Treasurer and Minister for Financial Services Stephen Jones MP). Make sure you use your MP’s correct title and contact details. You can find them here, in the document titled Mail Labels for Members: All Members Electorate Offices. Set out the name and address of your MP in the top-left-hand corner of the page. As a general rule, MPs should be addressed ‘Mr/Mrs/Dr/Ms, first name initial, last name, MP’. For example: Dr A. Aly MP Member for Cowan PO Box 219 Kingsway WA 6065 Start your letter as follows: ‘Dear Sir/Madam’ or ‘Dear Mr/Mrs/Dr/Ms Last Name’.

Introduce yourself and your issue Start the letter by telling your MP who you are and why you are writing to them – make sure you have a specific and focused purpose. In your opening sentence, mention that you are a constituent (a voter!). MPs tend to care more about the people they represent. Remember, they are there to represent you. What do I write? If you’re unsure about the content of the letter, a great place to start is our template letter below. The letter is packed with quick and reliable information about the carers sector and our Cost of Caring campaign. Including facts will strengthen your argument and help get your point across in a more convincing manner. Some topics that you might want to write to your federal MP about include calling on the government to provide superannuation for carers; advocate for policy and service actions that support the caring role and enhance the health, wellbeing, resilience and financial security of carers; or advocate for the inclusion of carers as a priority group within mainstream and specialist service programs. Make sure that you’re concise and not vague. If your MP has taken any positive steps in this area, you can thank them for that action, then articulate what else you would like them to do. Clearly state the facts that highlight the need for urgent further action. Tell them what needs to change and why. Add a personal touch It’s important to explain why the issue is important to you. You can do this by including a relevant personal anecdote or experience. This will help make the issue real and tangible for your MP. Storytelling used in conjunction with statistics is crucial in advocacy, as it connects your MP’s head and heart – helping them understand the need for change both rationally and emotionally. Also let them know that their stance on this issue affects the way you vote. You can also emphasise that others within your electorate care about this issue as well. For example, you could share how you’ve been impacted by carers or why advocating for unpaid carers is important to you.

Include an Ask Be clear on what action you want your MP to take. This could include making a speech in Parliament, raising the issue at a meeting, voting for or against something in Parliament, or attending a local event. While presenting facts and information is important, your letter is more effective if you can ask your MP to take a specific action as well. Some actions that you might ask your MP to take include:

Speaking about the issue in Parliament to raise awareness of the issue.

Asking a question in Parliament to gain extra information on an issue or raise its profile.

Raising the issue with the relevant minister or shadow minister or portfolio holder. If other MPs are also raising the issue, this demonstrates that there is community concern for the issue.

Follow up Finish the letter by saying that you look forward to receiving their reply. Provide your contact details so the MP can respond. Be patient as you wait for a reply – politicians lead busy lives! Wait one month, then call your MP’s office to remind them of your letter and ask when you may expect a response. If you still don’t hear back from them for another two weeks, try again. Be both persistent and polite.

We hope that we have inspired you to put pen to paper and get writing.

Let us know

Email us at info@costofcaring.com.au if you get a response, and we can help you to work out the next steps.

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Voting for or against a particular bill. If you think amendments are required to a given bill, you can also ask them to raise amendments (make sure you’re clear about what these are).

Talking about the issue in the media to help raise its profile.

Show the government just how much support there is for Australia’s carers by signing our petition at change.org/costofcaring Show the government just how much support there is for Australia’s carers by signing our petition at change.org/costofcaring

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