macklin parliamentary expenses: $1577 a day

SHE claims she could live on the $38-a-day dole payment, but cabinet minister Jenny Macklin spent $1577 a day on travel, comcars and hotel rooms last year.

These ministerial expenses were on top of the $903 a day salary she earns.

Single mums pushed on to the dole from January 1 yesterday expressed outrage at Ms Macklin's assertion she could get by on the government allowance.

Greens MP: Minister can join me in trying it for a week

Sydney woman Wendy Tucker, who works two-and-a-half days a week as a bookeeper, will lose $170 a fortnight under the changes that will see her stripped of her single parent payment.

"I'm feeling completely desperate after my car was written off a couple of weeks ago," she said.

"The minister gets $903 a day. I could live like a queen on that."

Single mothers were given just five weeks notice of the cutbacks by Centrelink and they have hit while children are on school holidays, Ms Tucker said.

Jobs were also hard to find as many companies had shut down for Christmas, she added.

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/national/single-mums-bristle-at-macklin-gaffe/story-fncvk70o-1226546732751