Tony Abbott talking about mandatory drug testing for dole recipients
- Thread starter b simpson
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Our welfare system is there to support the welfare of our poorest and most vulnerable, and this support should come in more forms that just monetary. It comes in supporting people through their health and addiction problems too, just like we do with problem gamblers, alcoholics and smokers.
Stopping payments is a very short sighted view. What will happen to these people then? You seriously think they'll just 'go get a job'? That's a joke, surely? You'll just create more homelessness and crime.
I'm all for exploring ways to encourage people to get back to work, but put things in perspective people! I love how the government does a clever job of getting us middle classers to gang up on the poor that scam the system. As if they are the real problem! It's all smoke and mirrors to mislead you from the real scammers... the corporate elite... and everyone buys into it.
I note that nobody has responded to my link about the real life Portuguese example.
Hoffy, don't be ridiculous! I'm using 'purposely deceitful bogeyman'?
Pls look at the title of the thread 'Tony Abbot talking about mandatory drug testing for dole recipients', I was merely referring to the title of the thread and the subject matter of 100 over posts in this thread. You are being hysterical over nothing.
First, I get accused of being a 'communist', then I am using 'purposely deceitful bogeyman'. What's next? I have three heads, eight eyes and ten limbs?
A handful of posters (including myself) responded. Don't you read the other posts in the thread?
You're not a one man band here, David.
I always used to be dead set against illegal drugs, those who took them and those who distibuted them.
But I've changed my mind. I have friends and extended family members who love drugs, and won't change, even though in some cases it has destroyed their lives.
So bugger it. Legalise them, control them and tax them to buggery like we do with alcohol and tobacco. Make it an offence to use or supply under 18s.
People are going to mess themselves up anyway, might as well make a few bucks out of them first.
But I've changed my mind. I have friends and extended family members who love drugs, and won't change, even though in some cases it has destroyed their lives.
So bugger it. Legalise them, control them and tax them to buggery like we do with alcohol and tobacco. Make it an offence to use or supply under 18s.
People are going to mess themselves up anyway, might as well make a few bucks out of them first.
It has been pointed out many times that it is erroneous. You continue to use it. I stand by what I said: you exaggerate or use purposely deceitful bogeymen to support your philosophical views. You may garner more support for your views if you didn't.
If 'it was never proposed' and a 'purposely deceitful bogeyman' as you are insisting then why did you say 'Firstly the govt has confirmed they won't be proceeding'?
Anyway, here are all the reports from Daily Telegraph, The Australian, Skynews (Murdoch media) that confirmed the Abbot Govt was looking at the NZ drug testing approach for welfare recipients.
Are you calling Murdoch and News Limited a liar? ('never proposed')
Are you saying they are referring to a 'purposely deceitful bogeyman'?
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/drug-tests-if-youre-on-the-dole/story-fni0cx4q-1226938400218
"The Abbott Government has confirmed it is looking closely at New Zealand's welfare system, which includes a hardline approach to drug use.
The New Zealand model strips welfare recipients of half their payments if they fail a job-required drug test or refuse to submit to one.
They are then given 30 days to get clean. Those who continue to use drugs or refuse to take a job that requires testing are required to pay back their welfare payments.
Social Services Minister Kevin Andrews last night said: "We won't rule this in or out."
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/nat...-reviews-welfare/story-fn59niix-1226938723598
http://www.skynews.com.au/news/top-...vt-considers-drug-testing-for-unemployed.html
"The Australian welfare system could soon be a lot tougher, as the Abbott Government confirms it's considering mandatory drug testing for the unemployed.
Social Services Minister - Kevin Andrews - says they are monitoring New Zealand's model, which strips dole recipients of their full payments if they fail a drug test, or refuse to submit to one".
wow 6 pages so far on this thread. it has been ruled out. many on welfare, disability pensions for example, are getting the pension for disability related to chronic drug/alcohol use. some for morbid obesity.
complex social issues that cannot be resolved. drug testing would be expensive and futile. very sad. people make all sorts of choices. some do not believe they have any options.
mandatory drug testing for the dole would be expensive to administer. cheaper to accept the status quo?
complex social issues that cannot be resolved. drug testing would be expensive and futile. very sad. people make all sorts of choices. some do not believe they have any options.
mandatory drug testing for the dole would be expensive to administer. cheaper to accept the status quo?
If folks liked being overweight, there would be no endless reams of Jenny Craig, Lite and Easy etc ads on the teev, with a billion dollar industry behind them.
The overweight folks eventually become resigned to it and give up - look at Magda Zubanski lately - huge Jenny disciple and student for a while, but is now as big as she ever was...
It becomes too hard a fight, and the effort to lose the weight or to keep slim can be daunting - going for a run, riding a bike etc. Even a walk at a very fast pace - but folks wander along in slow-motion.
The reality is our lifestyles have changed a lot since I was a kid (I'm 53).
There was next to zero takeaway food, very little food was really processed, or even packaged. We lived on sausages with mashed potatoes and veggies, or lamb chops with home made chips and veggies. Dessert was the occasional trifle or pudding mum made, or weetbix, or toast or fruit salad we had to make. There was no soft drink - water or milk, or occasionally cordial.
There was no technology to sit and watch/play - only tv if you even had one, and probably black and white for most kids..
Kids rode bikes everywhere or walked - now you see virtually empty streets.
Adults these days are not much better - the takeaway breakfast market for eg; booming now. Things like "UP and GO" drinks, Maccas drive through brekkies, and so on....loading up on sugar all day long, and not working it off because we sit in a car/train/bus/tram and then in an office etc....unless you're a tradie or similar - most of them are in decent shape.
Strangely; Council workers are often big fat blobs. Curious...
It's all our own choice - many blame "poor genes"...that's crap - when I was a kid, the majority of folks were thin. Now the majority are overweight and worse; genes can't change that much in two generations, folks.
I had a lady come in a few weeks ago for a puncture repair, told her it would take about an hour to fix. She was very, very overweight, about 45 years old.
She had a dog in the car, it was a lovely day, so I suggested she might like to take the dog for a walk along the foreshore while she waited...
Her response was; "Can I leave the dog in the car while it's here with you? I'll go and get a coffee and read a magazine."
Nothing wrong with that activity - we all do it - but you get what I mean. There went a perfect opportunity to do something for her body.
I'll wager there was some cake with that coffee.
100% agree. Absolutely, it's all our own choice. As a matter of fact, my diet today consists of the one you described of yesteryear and I'm much better off for it.
A point I was trying to make was that the solution however is much more complex than just telling people to choose to be a healthy weight (or choose not be a drug addict, or a gambling addict, or a compulsive porn watcher, or an alcoholic, or whatever else it is people self medicate their problems with). We are still 60% overweight even with all the knowledge, products, etc we have today.
I believe the solution to these problems is closer to things like awareness, education and addressing the root cause (which is usually boredom, loneliness and/or general unhappiness) rather than cutting off ones income - regardless of the poison.
Lol, a lot of time and effort there to support what I said: it was never proposed by the government. And once again, yes, it is purposely deceitful to say it was, and purposely deceitful to completely misrepresent the system that was reviewed.
It's the old adage; you can lead a horse to water...
I reckon Murdoch is behind it all
To be honest, I think you are onto something.
Notice how it was UK's independent 'The Guardian' who broke the story on Tony Abbott's daughters and their dodgy $60k per year scholarship? Corruption at it's finest.
Also notice how Gina R wanted to buy a seat on the board of a newspaper?
Even though print media is declining it still directs public opinion.
That's really funny, because that's just about all I drink these days
I'd rather eat my calories!
Yes I do read all the posts. I should have said 'nobody has argued against' rather than 'nobody has responded'. Thanks supporting my post.
The proven fact is treating drug addiction as a health issue (like with do with all other unhealthy addictions) rather than a criminal one / locking addicts up in prison does work. The data is there, 12 years of this policy in Portugal clearly shows this.
Well who else would it be but "The Guardian". Their reason for existence is to direct public opinion against conservatives and conservatism. They are no different to News Ltd, just play for the other team.
Is that where you learned that Abbotts daughters gained 60k scholarships per annum?
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