Scantily clad single mums call for help in Melbourne

Single mothers have taken to Melbourne's Central Business District clad in negligees, pyjamas and dressing gowns to draw attention to their plight in the midst of "mothers' day shopping madness".

The mothers' day themed "breakfast in bed" protest aimed to draw attention to the rate of poverty among single mother families in Australia, reports news.com.au.

Council of Single Mothers and their Children project worker Kerry Davies called on the Federal Government to take responsibility for collecting more than a billion dollars in unpaid child support owed to children in single parent families.

She urged the State Government to cap the cost of private rent and boost the amount of subsidized housing.