Author Description

"Sole parents are arguably the most disadvantaged group in Australian society. Various studies have found that they are more likely than other types of households to be living in poverty, particularly after paying for their housing, and to be dependent on Commonwealth income support. Sole parent families are predominantly headed by women, raising significant issues of gender in terms of government policy responses. There are currently two main forms of government housing assistance for sole parents on low incomes: Commonwealth Rent Assistance (RA) paid to sole parents in receipt of income support and renting privately, and public housing funded by the Commonwealth and states/territories through the Commonwealth-State Housing Agreement." -- p. vi.