The Wire

The Federal Government has been questioned by the United Nations over cuts to single parent payments. A letter from the United Nations special rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights says the allowance could be a violation of several international laws that Australia is party to.

Many single parents have struggled with cuts of up to $110 a week with the changes, which the government says is intended to encourage single parents to rejoin the workforce. But some welfare organizations have said that the cuts put a strain on single parents already in a vulnerable position, and increased discrimination.