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Of course.
And the laws should be changed.
You also mentioned Howard/Costello.
Did Rudd/Gillard do anything in the past 6 years? (I'm sure Syd will have a cunning answer to that one...)
Neither is a single mother claiming benefits created by elected governments of either persuasion.
Of course.
And the laws should be changed.
You also mentioned Howard/Costello.
Did Rudd/Gillard do anything in the past 6 years? (I'm sure Syd will have a cunning answer to that one...)
Of course.
Did Rudd/Gillard do anything in the past 6 years? (I'm sure Syd will have a cunning answer to that one...)
I think its pretty funny how the Noalition can put forward a Doctor tax (co payment) to fund a medical research fund, and yet want to remove the Carbon Tax (co payment) that basically funds renewables research and development...is the message, renewable energy is bad and Medical research is good?
Don't forget that 10% of the Carbon Tax goes to the U.N.....for what exactly? (5 star hotels and F Class travel world wide...)
is the message, renewable energy is bad and Medical research is good?
I think that the message is simpler than that. It's largely business which pays the carbon tax whereas it's individuals who will be paying the doctors. So it's a shift in who pays.
A Labor government taxed business (mostly) and a Coalition government is shifting the tax to individuals. No surprises there, it's a very predictable outcome in a "big picture" sense.
There is a proposal to drug test the unemployed.
Why not I say, should the taxpayer subsidise an individual's a drug habit ?
As long as it applies to politicians and public servants as well.
Though I'd question the cost benefit of it.
Should it apply to pensioners, family tax benefits recipients, families receiving child care fees rebates? Maybe anyone receiving any form of Govt payment or benefit should be tested? Afterall, any money received from the Government could be used to support their drug habit.
Should we test a persons hair so that we get a long term view of their drug use (or lack thereof)? Gets around issues of going clean just before a test.
Hopefully they will also test for prescription drugs as well. Oxycodone is the favoured drug of choice these days. Hill Billy heroine is it's nickname in the states. Deaths from abuse are heading towards 1000 a year, prescription rates are on a hockey stick like trajectory.
Doubt that would fly though, because it would catch too many of the "middle class." probably catch the odd politician as well.
I think it would be random testing, so the costs could be kept down. While I accept the point that all receivers of government benefits could be "targets", people on USB where a drug habit could inhibit their ability to hold down a job should be the first cabs off the rank, as others qualify for benefits by reason of old age or children.
Well, shouldn't we be out to catch drug addicted parents as much as welfare bludgers? Come on Rumpole, think of the children /sarc
I can just see a random drug test as being a massive cost. It will be geographically spread all around Australia. There's over 700,000 unemployed. What % should be tested each year? Do you use profiling to try and maximise positive tests? The administrative cost, let alone the actual test costs would be massive. Does the Govt pay for their travel expenses? What drugs are tested for? What happens if you test positive? How do you cope with the issues of a person not turning up / being able to turn up. How much notice would someone get - less notice harder to avoid, but also more likely to conflict with say going for a job interview or a doctors appointment.
Then you ask the question do you test the same person multiple times in a year? IF not then once you do your test you know it's safe to go and use? I just see it being as useful as the war on drugs have been. It might make people feel safer, but it's just lots of money for little community benefit.
The budget is a dog and Malcolm knows it. Political over-reach.Malcolm Turnbull just gave a press conference
from his own lips
"Andrew Bolt says he is a friend of the government
with friends like him, we don't need enemies"
You said it Malcolm
Gleefully played by NEWS24 this morning!
More news less crap ABC
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