The Bully State
Tony Abbott’s suggestion that the dole should be limited to those above the age of 30 is probably the most ridiculous idea to come out of his mouth. It sounds like a cynical vote winning exercise and judging by some of the comments on the article in the Australian he may have succeeded.
For one thing it is discrimination. If you can’t get a job, you don’t have any money and you can’t get the dole what are your options? You could try mooching off friends and family, but that isn’t a very good long-term plan. Of course you could always give crime a go.
Tony Abbott’s idea is the perfect way of increasing the crime rate and probably the homeless rate as well.
It’s not like we have an enormous unemployment rate. Being a dole bludger is it as easy as it used to be there is the work for the dole program and you are constantly being checked up upon by centre link.
I am not sure if it is possible to get the unemployment rate below 5% with the modern workforce the way it is. There is a constant shift of people changing jobs. There is also a large number of people every year ending education. And don’t forget the people changing from part-time work to full-time work. Not to mention all the businesses that are packing up and moving to China. There will always be some people who are between jobs and most of these people will be under 30.
There seems to be a tendency of our national government to pick on the less fortunate in our society. Young people on the dole have always been a target – just watch an episode of A Current Affair. We all have some elderly relative who is always carrying on about the “young people of today” and those “filthy dole bludgers’.
The list of minorities discriminated against by the government appears to be growing homosexuals, refugees and now young people. Being a member of a minority I’m a little worried. Bring on the bully state.