Dancing teen ready for a big future, 13 years on

PAMELA Barnes, now a budding ballerina, faces a much altered political and social landscape since the 2002 Intergenerational Report’s snap­shot.

Budding ballerina Pamela Barnes, with dad Tony and brother Leo, has high hopes. Picture: Britta Campion

THIRTEEN years ago, Pamela Barnes was a babe in arms. Now a budding ballerina and just starting high school, Pamela faces a significantly altered political and social landscape since the 2002 Intergenerational Report’s snap­shot.

Parents Meredith and Tony Barnes, with newborn Pamela, featured in The Australian when that first report was released.

Today Mrs Barnes still has much the same concerns for her children as she had then, although she thinks some policy shifts have led to a brighter future for Pamela and younger brother Leo.

In 2002, Mrs Barnes was a product services manager with Zurich and Mr Barnes, a plumber, was studying to become a teacher.

Now she’s a high-flyer in financial services at RGA and he teaches Year 6 at Sacred Heart, Mosman, a Catholic primary school. When Pamela was born, they added her name to the waiting list of every public childcare centre in their area. Unfortunately, that wasn’t enough.

“We didn’t get her into childcare in time to get back to work,” Mrs Barnes said. “Instead we ended up juggling it between me working from home, a nanny for 1½ days a week, and Tony.”

Under the government’s proposed childcare reforms, the family could be eligible for a more accessible childcare subsidy, including the cost of nannies.

The young parents also had no access to maternity leave and survived on savings until Mrs Barnes returned to work after 20 weeks. At the time, she said she would have preferred to spend more time at home during Pamela’s formative months, “but it’s not possible, although it should be”.

When Leo was born two years later, Mrs Barnes was eligible for six weeks’ maternity leave. Now new mothers are assured at least 10 weeks’ maternity-leave pay, calculated at the national minimum wage of $640.90, plus whatever else their companies provide.

Mrs Barnes hopes policies to support new parents continue to improve. “My hopes are that there’s more shared access to leave with both parents, that (Pamela) has more options and more flexibility. And I’d like to see it not slow her career down,” she says.

Whether or not Pamela becomes a mother, she already has a dance career in mind. She is now enrolled at a prestigious classical coaching academy in St Leonards, on Sydney’s north shore.

“She’s quite determined to be a ballerina at this stage,” Mr Barnes said. “She works extremely hard and is willing to put in the hours. She has a dream.”

Does he think the country provides opportunities for young Australians to chase their dreams? “Absolutely. I think Australia certainly supports anyone with a dream. The programs and teachers ... and the importance we place on sport and the arts, it wouldn’t be possible for her otherwise.”

However, Mrs Barnes is concerned for her children’s financial future. “They are going to have the burden of the older population, medically and particularly if we don’t save enough to fund our own retirement,” she said.

But she doesn’t expect ever to retire. “I do see myself in part-time work instead, but I hope it’s by choice and not by need.”