Canberra, Australia
Australian Treasurer Peter Costello said this week that the government would start giving cash bonuses to women for having more babies. Every baby born after June 30 will net its mother $2,000. The new incentive was unveiled in an election-year budget that Australian papers have dubbed the “erection budget.” Costello said the measure is necessary to ensure that Australia will continue to produce enough taxpayers to support the aging population. “You go home and do your patriotic duty tonight,” he told reporters. Costello, a father of three, said three was the ideal number of kids: “One for your husband, one for your wife, and one for your country.”
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
-
Humza Yousaf clears the decks to battle no-confidence voteSpeed Read First minister is 'done', according to insider, but a single vote could change the balance
-
Immunotherapy and hay feverThe Explainer Research shows that the treatment could provide significant relief from symptoms for many hay fever sufferers
-
The week's best photosIn Pictures A flooded island, a ballistic missile, and more
