IMAGINEJohn Howard: "Self-evidently we would have liked the major combat to have gone differently ... [but] coalition withdrawal or defeat is unimaginable."
Federal Cabinet has discussed welfare [social services] changes to be introduced after the Government takes control of the Senate in July, including forcing the disabled to work and one size fits all benefits payments
HoWARd suggests he's running out of workers and is also trying to save $20.00, the difference between the Newstart allowance and the sole parent and disability support pension benefits so that there will be more workers down the track?
The disabled may lose any concessions they get now and have to compete with job search applicants, fill in a dole diary or work for the dole for $10.00.
Top of the agenda for what the Government describes as its "strategic" Cabinet meetings are the restructuring of industrial relations and welfare reform, but not CORPORATE WELFARE REFORM and it seems increasing GOVERNMENT expenditure on WARFARE in Iraq?
HoWARd's real mission
Federal Opposition Leader Kim Beazley says he does not support the Government's decision to send 450 extra troops to Iraq.
The soldiers, mostly from Darwin's 1st Brigade, will leave for Iraq in about 10 weeks to replace a withdrawing Dutch contingent.
Mr Beazley says that during the election campaign, the Government said it would not become more deeply involved in Iraq.
"Suddenly there is a dramatic change," Mr Beazley said. "The Government will need to explain the reasons for that dramatic change.
"We in the Labor Party have said that as far as Iraq is concerned, we need to be differently engaged, not more deeply engaged."
The Opposition Leader says the Government has misled Australian voters.
"He should have at least indicated to them, before they had a chance to vote, that he was of that cast of mind," he said.
"[Voters] got the opposite impression from him and this puts him in substantial breach of undertakings and views he's put to the Australian people."
Greens Senator Bob Brown says the decision to send more troops is not in the national interest.
"This is a breach of promise effectively and an outrageous breach of trust with the Australian people and with the Australian Defence Forces themselves," he said.
Community scandal
The escalation of Australia's military contribution to Iraq will cost up to $300 million a year.
Mr Howard says Iraq is at a "tilting point" after the country's landmark elections and Australia will send the extra soldiers to southern Iraq.
The soldiers will train Iraqi forces and provide security for the Japanese.
Howard says the extra soldiers will replace a withdrawing Dutch contingent.
"Unless additional security could be provided to replace the Dutch, then there was a real possibility the Japanese could no longer remain there and that would be a serious blow to the coalition effort," Howard said.
Howard says it is essential that Australia contribute more to help rebuild Iraq.
But it sounds like it is essential for the Coalition of the Killing to be able to save face instead of losing the war to win the battle they lost from the start when they declared their illegal war at the outset.
It now appears so essential to save face that there is now a need for welfare reform to pay for WARFARE EXPENDITURE?
The community believes that Iraq is a disaster and not at a tilting point but a tilting point that's tipped over into a ditch full of war crimes, blood and guts.
Howard says the additional Australian forces will be needed in the country for at least a year?
"This has not been, is not and will not be an easy decision for the Government," he said. "I know it will be unpopular with many.
Flawed election
HoWARd the Fascist Prime Minister who was elected by the pro government media stands accused of taking this country to an illegal and degrading war on Iraq, killing, maiming and torturing tens of thousands of innocent men women and children to achieve this goal AND failing to count the dead.
Then we have his GOVENMENTS complicity to kidnap and torture citizen Mamdouh Habib.
This is not the behaviour of a Prime Minister or a leader but that of a war criminal that has to be held accountable for these crimes against humanity.
This is a person who would undermine the underprivileged and needy in this country to help grab oil for George W Bushit AND SAVE FACE WHEN THE WAR IS LOST!
There are currently about 950 Australian Defence Force personnel in and around Iraq.
Howard says Britain and the US are already carrying a heavy commitment and Australia's involvement in Iraq is under continual review.
"Self-evidently we would have liked the major combat to have gone differently ... [but] coalition withdrawal or defeat is unimaginable."?
IMAGINE
Howard says the coalition must stay in Iraq if the country is to make a successful transition to democracy?
"It will take time and if we were to see a crumbling of coalition commitment, I think the likelihood of Iraq completing the transition to democracy would be absolutely non-existent," he said?
On the weekend, the Federal Government said Australia would take up its most senior role of the Iraq conflict by taking command of the naval force at the northern end of the Persian Gulf?
By Welfare Not Warfare 23 February 05
Related:
Social Services
Govt plots post-July strategy?
Federal ministers will begin a two-day Cabinet meeting in Canberra this morning to look at proposals to shake up the industrial relations and welfare systems, but not CORPORATE WELFARE SYSTEMS?
Govt preparing to cut spending: Labor
The Federal Opposition says the Government is preparing to cut Budget programs in areas such as health and education despite projections of strong revenue growth.
Military Spending
Howard: We as a nation have got to invest heavily in defence?
Fascist Prime Minister John HoWARd has indicated the Government will make major changes to work place laws, cut disability support forcing the disabled to work and increase his defence commitment.
Hill primed for war!
Australian Caretaker Defence Minister Robert Hill has announced a multi-million dollar upgrade of the Pearce Air Force base in Western Australia. Hill says $87 million would be spent on a major upgrade of the base, which is Australia's main flying training facility.
Troop deployment not a deepening of effort: Hill
Deploying an extra 30 troops to Iraq was not a deepening of Australia's involvement because they were being sent to protect those already there, Defence Minister Robert Hill said yesterday.
Auditor Generals damning defence report
The Defence Department computer system upgrade has cost Australia tens of millions of dollars in a gigantic bungle, according to the Federal Opposition. The Commonwealth auditor-general has issued a damning report into the project.
Disability
HoWARd 'determined' to make the disabled woRK?
The Federal Government is considering a system of "coercion" and incentive to force the disabled to work. But what happened to 6 billion-budget surpluses? Why do they need to force disabled people to work? Do they need more money and less disabled people? Or do would they rather spend the money on WAR?
Opposition pension claims valid
The Federal Governments secret agenda to cut pensions, including the disability and single parent payments while spending billions on military hardware is just too much for most disabled people to accept.
Thousands march for disability protest
"We are not prepared to go back to the dark ages. This has to be reversed," Mr Preston said. "We are hoping that the community sees that we shouldn't be taking money from people with disabilities. These people have had it tough all their lives (and) there is already more unmet need than we can cope with."
Unemployed:
Work for the dole is legal slavery
Work for the dole was originally sold to us by Howard as a warm and fuzzy light work project. We would be working for nothing but we would be enjoying giving back something to the community, so it was reckoned.
FIGHT UNEMPLOYMENT!
Peter Costello commended this result in his budget speech. Even if we were to believe this figure it still means more than half a million living at a level much lower than that is recognised as poverty.
Mark Latham's, token gestures for older unemployed
StandUp appreciates the fact that Mark Latham is concerned about older unemployed people. His specialist job network proposal aimed at older people might provide a bit of assistance.
Work for the dole failure for two thirds
THE Un-Australian: " MORE than a third of the people who completed the Howard Government's work-for-the-dole programs last year were in jobs or studying within three months of finishing.
Work for the dole? $10.00?
StandUp! Wishes to draw your attention to a serious attack on all of us--work for the dole. We were assured that unemployed would not be forced to work in areas where employed workers would normally be employed. This has shown to be a lie! Under work for the dole, unemployed have been forced to carry out; concreting, tiling, landscaping, repairs, renovation, painting, gardening, nurses and teachers aid work.
'WORK FOR THE DOLE' REDUCES JOB PROSPECTS
A major independent study commissioned by the Government and released today under Freedom of Information by The Australian newspaper indicates that the 'Work for the Dole' program actually reduces the job prospects of unemployed people.
Youth welfare system unfair: ACOSS
The Australian Council of Social Service (ACOSS) is warning urgent action is needed to fix youth poverty and disincentives for the unemployed to improve their job prospects.
Bringing up children Can we afford it?
Peter Costello expects us to carry out our patriotic duty by going home and having more children. But for most people it is a struggle to bring up one child let alone two or three.
Federal Budget: Tax cuts for the rich!
For the Howard government, unemployed people are not even worth thinking about.
Private job network agency blues
Can you trust a private job network agency? No you can't! A friend of ours is registered at MTC Marrickville.
Indigenous Social Justice Association Djadi Dugarang
INDIGENOUS EMPLOYMENT. Part 1
Centrelink puts the screws on prison debt
A 1999 study by the Brisbane Prisoners Legal Service revealed that on leaving prisoners had an average debt of $14,031. Almost one in five had a debt to Centrelink while in prison. This debt arose as a result inability to cancel things such as leases, Social Security payments, utilities and telephones.
Democrats approve tougher welfare penalties: But how does that pan out?
There used to be an old saying in Australia" if your hungry steal a sheep and leave the pelt on the fence.
Six weeks, six months, six years: inmates have little chance of making fresh start Even prisoners who serve short sentences are likely to suffer long-term consequences, including increased rates of homelessness and unemployment.
