Australian women try to delay births to get cash bonus

[dArKeR]

AP , CANBERRA

Pregnant women are trying to delay giving birth until July 1 to cash in on the government's new A$3,000 (US$2,045) baby bonus starting in the new fiscal year, a newspaper reported Friday.

Some hospitals are completely booked for planned caesarean sections on the first two days of next month as pregnant women put off elective caesarians until the new payment kicks in, the Daily Telegraph reported in Sydney.

The government announced the baby bonus May 11 as part of a big-spending budget for the next fiscal year, which most commentators agree is designed to win votes at elections due before Christmas.

http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/world/archives/2004/06/21/2003175942

[rwheeler31]

1. Who is going to take care of this baby?

nt

[tigereye]

2. that is pretty strange

can't imagine trying to influence the birth process just to get money... let alone a C-section. Yuk.