Jess Page: Pay attention as student payments start landing in parents’ accounts

Why should I pay when I can get it for free?

So said George Costanza, going around the bend circling for street parking a mile away instead of the more convenient — but expensive — garage.

And so say voters counting the student assistance payments deposited into bank accounts this week.

But nothing in life is free.

This one comes with a political trump card that’s meant to balance the scorecard after 18 months of inflation and interest rate hikes.

Not the State Government’s doing, but it’s left voters in an unforgiving mood.

Pensioners are rightly complaining that they have missed out again and parents are rightly arguing it’s not enough to make a dent, as bills outpace the political crumbs.

It’s the equivalent of a sandwich and milkshake tax cut being served up to a generation that missed out on Peter Costello’s $5000 baby bonus, fee-free tertiary education and require a dual income to escape the rent trap.

The State Government is boasting that more than 100,000 families have claimed the payment as of Sunday.

But despite 65 ‘liked’, most of the 40 comments beneath the Premier’s Facebook post were complaints.

Some complained it is likely to be spent frivolously.

Others complained that they were yet to receive it or would prefer it went direct to schools or striking teachers.

The handout was declared a blatant grab for votes, disguised as a benevolent gesture.

Can’t it be both?

The problem is this Government, like many before it, has built up expectations and now has to walk the talk with an election fast approaching and some family budgets squeezed beyond repair.

A $600 power bill credit came and went.

Then $400 was barely noticed.

$150 per child ($250 if they’re older) is better than nothing, but not by much.

It won’t pay rent, it won’t cover a week of groceries for those that need it.

While those who don’t need it tend to look a gift horse in the mouth and see the Trojan inside it.

I received my payment within 48 hours and swiftly spent a third on extra children’s books, a third on spare school uniforms and donated the rest to our school’s current fundraiser.

Parkinson’s Law dictates that no matter how much people earn, there never seems to be enough.

An adage that rings true for Rita Saffioti, who has more money per capita to spend than any other Australian treasurer but still won’t be able to keep everyone happy.

Yadda, yadda, yadda….

Jerry Seinfeld said people don’t turn down money. “It’s what separates us from animals”.

But I suspect that once it’s been spent, animal instinct kicks in again.