The Widows' Pension was a Commonwealth allowance introduced to enable widows with dependent children to stay at home and look after them, rather than having to go out to work to keep the family from destitution. From October 1942 until 1976, the Widows' Pension was exempt from income tax. Unmarried mothers, de facto wives and wives who had left their husbands were not eligible for the Widows' Pension.
Sources used to compile this entry: Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations, 'Submission No. 335 Commonwealth Contribution to Former Forced Adoption Policies and Practices', in Submissions received by the Committee, Commonwealth of Australia, 2012, http://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/Senate/Community_Affairs/Completed_inquiries/2010-13/commcontribformerforcedadoption/submissions. pp.1-2..
Prepared by: Debra Rosser
Created: 2 May 2013, Last modified: 2 March 2015
Last updated: 17 October 2023
Cite this: https://www.findandconnect.gov.au/ref/wa/biogs/WE01090b.htm
First published by the Find & Connect Web Resource Project for the Commonwealth of Australia, 2011
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