Australia trials link to welfare, school attendance
Updated
The Australian government has announced a trial, which will see parents' welfare payments stopped, if their children don't attend school.
It is the first time such a welfare penalty has applied in an Australian metropolitan area.
The trial will apply to around 1,000 parents receiving welfare payments, who have children at 12 schools in the West Australian city of Perth.
Parents who have their welfare payments stopped will be paid the money back, if their children begin attending school within 13 weeks of authorities intervening.
Australia's indigenous affairs minister, Jenny Macklin, says the trial is designed to break the cycle of welfare dependence by ensuring all children receive a good education.
"What we're doing today is really adding another tool to our efforts to make sure that children really do go to school," she said.
