Does the government actually want you to get married?

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Florida_Gulf_Beach_Wedding_Officiant_LesDespite all the excitement about marriage over the last few days, I am discovering why people don’t get married anymore.

There is a massive disincentive to making permanent commitments with anyone other than the State. The State is indeed a jealous lover.

Last year my wife and I got married. As we discovered, after her coming ‘under the care’ of a man (rather than the government), she lost all her Austudy and her healthcare card. Over the year, we were down nearly $20,000 for having tied the knot. We were fine, but had to tighten our financial belt. Many other couples would suffer considerably more difficulty.

Our experience shows a significant disincentive to get married, and perhaps is a key reason why many poorer people do not get married these days.

If I was cynical I might conclude that the government’s goal is subsidize poverty, create dependance and produce social alienation, rather than supporting strong, resilient and independent families.

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Jeremy has worked as a kitchen hand, labourer and in policy development, and now prefers to focus his energies working with refugee and other disadvantaged communities. He enjoys boxing but isn't very good at it, and is a professional insomniac. Jeremy will know that he has "made it" when his opponents refer to him as a "pseudo-intellectual."