In Your Opinion Podcast (Pt 2): Does a family of 4 in S'pore need $6,426 a month for basic living standard?

Opinion Editor

Updated

Published

May 27, 2022 at 6:00 PM

Synopsis: The Straits Times' opinion editor Grace Ho takes a hard look at political and social issues of the day with her expert guests.

In this episode, she looks at what the recent Budget and other policy changes have done to boost wages and alleviate cost pressures, and what more can be done for children and single parent households.

In the studio to explain how policies have evolved as well as the remaining gaps, are Associate Professor Teo You Yenn of the School of Social Sciences, Nanyang Technological University; and Dr Ng Kok Hoe, Senior Research Fellow and Head of the Case Study Unit at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy.

Highlights (click/tap above):

2:03: This has been a big year for wage interventions including the Progressive Wage Model

6:34 Keep an eye on the cost of public services, as these affect how much wages households need

8:34 Are transfers and subsidies for children enough?

12:45 The gendered nature of burden on single parents. Women's earning capacity to meet basic needs is lower than men

18:00 The housing penalty faced by single never-married parents compared to married ones

20:02 Wishlists for a fair and inclusive Singapore

Read the article here: https://str.sg/wBJ3

Produced by: Grace Ho (graceho@sph.com.sg), Ernest Luis and Teo Tong Kai

Edited by: Hadyu Rahim

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Channel: https://str.sg/w7Qt