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 would they rather spend the money on WAR?
Almost 700,000 Australians are on disability pensions and the Government says a six-month pilot program to encourage some of them back into the workforce or training was a success?
But they don't give us the success rating? So on a truth scale between 1-10 you can give this a 1 for propaganda or a 2 for ignorance or even a 3 for lies.
Workforce Participation Minister Peter Dutton says the pilot "showed" that a combination of "coercion" and incentive can help get disabled back to work.
But he still hasn't provided any evidence?
The Physical Disability Council of New South Wales has rejected the plan.
The council's executive officer, Dougie Herd, says he believes the Minister is trying to cut the disability support pension budget.
"It's just fanciful nonsense to suggest that you can force people with a disability into a working environment that still remains for many of them hostile," Mr Herd said.
"Whilst we welcome any initiative that the Government wants to take to support and encourage people into work, that's quite different from taking a big stick to beat people to go places that don't want them in the first place."
The president of the National Welfare Rights Network, Michael Raper, says the Government should not assume all disability support pensioners are able to work.
"People with disabilities have a significant level of medical impairment," he said. "They are not ordinary unemployed people, so they have to be treated with care and caution.
"The Government needs to get the proper supports and protections in place, rather than a program of mutual obligation that puts an emphasis on coercion and incentives."
Dutton: "What we've shown is that for the majority of people there is a willingness to participate, to look for work," Mr Dutton said.
"For those people we think aren't there legitimately then we've got to try and adopt some coercion and that's unfortunate in the minority of cases."
For those people they think aren't there "legitimately"? Even though those people have produced and provided medical reports from their doctor to show that they legitimately disabled?
A contradiction in terms Mr Dunce either that or you're completely ignorant.
Mr Dunce says more needs to be done to assist those who want employment and to force a small number of others into work?
To force the disabled to work, even though they have a medical certificate to prove they're disabled?
I would have thought that a decision to make the disabled work was between the doctors who certified the report (that they were a disabled patient) as to whether the disabled patient could work? What if the disabled felt that they could not work? How does force fit in?
Dunce: "We are determined to say to people who are on a disability support pension, 'please go out and look for a job now - you will be surprised by the benefits that brings to you and we think that's an overwhelmingly successful story for those people who are able to find a job," he said.
The problem with that idea is most of these people already do volunteer work when they can and that means they can just survive even though they are disabled.
By The Disabled and Budget Surplus 24 November 04
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.
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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."
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Poverty cycle must be addressed: Ridgeway
The Democrats' Aden Ridgeway says Prime Minister John Howard should stop beating up on people who are on welfare, and focus on solving the national Indigenous unemployment rate.
Labor slams GST windfall figures
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Work for the dole is legal slavery
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Governance a misfortune to experience
As an employee with the Australian government agency Centrelink my job was to interpret Australian law to determine entitlements for Australian citizens.
Families worse off under Lib/Lab: Community!The London lights are far abeam, behind a bank of cloud. Along the shore the gaslights gleam, the gale is piping loud; And down the Channel, groping blind, we drive her through the haze. Towards the land we left behind -- The good old land of "never mind", and old Australian ways.
Democrats call for improved accountability
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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
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Department of Housing Tenants
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Govts failing homeless, ACOSS says
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Work for the dole failure for two thirds
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Bonus prompts baby talk, principal says
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Government ignoring housing crisis: ACOSS
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Youth welfare system unfair: ACOSS
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Australia: Private job network agency blues
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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.
INDIGENOUS EMPLOYMENT: ISJA
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Howard's Job Network Bailout
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ACOSS urges C'wealth to invest in families
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'WORK FOR THE DOLE' REDUCES JOB PROSPECTS
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The Criminal Law (Rehabilitation of Offenders) Act 1986 Qld
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Tax cuts wrong way to help battlers: ACOSS
The Australian Council of Social Service (ACOSS) says the Budgets fails to deliver anything for low and middle income Australians.
Public housing on a precipice
THE booming housing market was squeezing thousands of low-income earners out of private rental accommodation into a public housing system on the verge of collapse, Australia's peak social body has warned.
Democrats approve tougher welfare penalties: But how does that pan out? There used to be an old saying in Australia" if you're hungry steal a sheep and leave the pelt on the fence. How do you plead, Peter Saunders?
Shoplifting and homelessness
Shoplifting increased by 7.5 per cent last year, making it the only major crime category to register a significant increase in 2002, crime statistics show. "It's a chain reaction kind of thing. No payments, more crime. More crime, more cops. More cops, more harassment. It goes back to the bloody payments, basically," he said.
Fears for poor if Social Services take a social slide?
The director of the NSW Council for Social Service, Alan Kirkland, said it was very difficult to balance the impact of problem gambling against the broader community benefits.
Democrats approve tougher welfare penalties: But how does that pan out? There used to be an old saying in Australia" if you're hungry steal a sheep and leave the pelt on the fence. How do you plead, Peter Saunders?
Social services groups swamped
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Fears for poor if Social Services take a social slide?
The director of the NSW Council for Social Service, Alan Kirkland, said it was very difficult to balance the impact of problem gambling against the broader community benefits.
Social Services small change? Or wast the money on WAR!
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EX-PRISONER UNEMPLOYMENT: SENTENCED FOR LIFE
Name removed by request served time in prison decades ago. Shes still being punished today. According to commonwealth and state legislation, ex-prisoners applying for jobs must declare any conviction that fits into the following categories: less than 10 years old, more than 10 years old but served more than 30 months in prison.
Unemployed farm postings would cost jobs: AWU
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Tough luck! Kicks the poor to death
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Economy benefiting from non-profit institutions
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NSW prisons - primary industry bailed up!
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Robin Egan
Two thirds of fines are never collected because they go beyond the means of the defendants and because in lots of cases people do not see that they are responsible. Especially where people know their in the right and no fine ought to have been a penalty.
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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
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Auditor Generals damning defence report
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