Govt supports withholding information from disabled

The Howard Government has defended a new push by Centrelink to force more disabled people to the Job Network, including those who are unable to work and would lose benefits including discount travel, medical, pharmaceutical, power bills and telephone expenses.

It's just not fair for the probability of part time employment opportunities that merely change their status quo, taking away benefits that they survive on now, only to be dropped off down the track, starving for welfare when the job satisfaction diminishes, or when it is learned they could not achieve or attain the satisfaction of their employ.

The article posted on the ABC online is complete crap trying to shunt the disabled in with other groups of people who are unemployed yet trying to impose the same conditions on the disabled like their disability does not exist.

Why does the Howard government think people are stupid by disseminating propaganda aimed at those who will not suffer the consequences down the track?

To use the population to help him with forcing these people to conform regardless of their disability by shaming them into thinking they have no choice- regardless of how they feel they can cope. Or by being sneaky and withholding information relevant to them to make an informed choice?

One of our caseworkers for instance has to go home early because of epileptic fits but when they occur, not when it suits his respective employ. These are the difficulties facing the disabled. That they will be used then spat out by the Howard government just to prove or show that employment figures are down.

I work with the disabled and they can do volunteer work but for the most part are disabled, some cannot write their own name and we have to write it for them, on any despatch or just for signing simple process work. Some have to leave work because of stress they cannot deal with.

A leaked memo from Centrelink tells staff 'not to volunteer information to single parents and disability support pensioners that they do not have to go to an employment agency'.

Workforce Participation Minister Peter Dutton supports any effort to push more people off welfare and over the edge.

"The direction as I understand on my quick reading of the document now is that the Centrelink officers are saying that there is a very successful Job Network out there operating in the country," he said.

"If you are able to work and you are interested in working wouldn't that be a great outcome for you and your family?" he said.

No! If you're disabled and pushed over the edge contrary to your medical practitioners advice or your ability then expect the worst possible scenario.

Not for the likes of Dutton but because if you were able to work you'd be working. Most disabled people already do part time work and that does not seem to have rung any bells even though it has been said many, many times over.

I advise all the disabled people to write to Mr Dutton and tell him about how it is for them in relation to having information withheld that would otherwise give them a choice.

And to deduct the volunteer work from the overall cost of support that they give back to the community in terms of their initiative given by these dedicated people, regardless of their disability.

But handle that the wrong way, say by force or withholding relevant information and you move into a disaster area not just for them but also for the community, they already support, and including people like themselves.

The disabled people I know are already delivering a service to the community in their capacity that it seems Howard and his cronies has little or no regard for even though without such dedication the community would go without, leaving an even greater amount of people looking for community support networks that have been demolished.

Another Howard government initiative! But the disabled aren't laughing just crying because of Howard's blatant ignorance trying to withhold information from people who can ill afford being mistreated.

By Justice Action 10 December 04

Related:

HoWARd 'determined' to make the disabled woRK?
The Federal Government is considering a system of "coercion" and incentive to force the disabled to work.

Disability

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."

Military Spending

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.

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.

Who owns media ethics? Zoom Zoom Zoom?

For example: We don't want youth to die speeding on the road killing themselves. The media ads, "Zoom Zoom Zoom!"

The Federal Government will reopen negotiations with key independent senators, in a bid to win their support for an overhaul of Australia's media ownership laws.

But who owns the media ethics? The government of the day? The highest bidder? The biggest earner? The greatest spinner? Those that ask the least questions? Tell the biggest lies?

A community would be grateful for diversity of opinions, honesty in real news, media and advertising. People who are prepared to ask our political leaders and entrepreneurs the right questions. But I think the challenge is the "contradictions" that are now being set by corporate media constantly!

For example: We don't want youth to die speeding on the road killing themselves. The media ads, "Zoom Zoom Zoom!"

So to support corporate media there is a contradiction in terms about what the community requires and what the corporate media sponsors want. There are many examples that are contradictory in media advertising opposed to community values and standards.

Values and standards are undermined by the Power. Like the tongue crossing all boundaries to get to the beer. What about news that tells us we'll die of sun cancer if we don't use a brand new pharmaceutical just on the market etc.

On the one hand there is an attempt to tell the community what standards there are and another hand to take it away.

Promotion of government schemes or multinational corporate products. Schemes or products that earn interest for the media group, empire, etc.

Throw that into the melting pot for an additional end of the year bonus. In the grand scheme of things the media is not setting an example for our community. Using the Power to promote community values then undermining those same values during the add break or on the add below the article.

Every government agency has its own media personnel who try to whip up an angle that suits them like the police media who tell us what they want us to believe regardless of the truth. If reporters don't do the job for the police the threat is they don't get the work.

The Daily Telegraph this year is another example of using the power unlawfully.

Throwing money at a prisoner to break the law and take photos of another high profile prisoner for an article that would exploit the prisoners.

The Daily Telegraph's prison mates

Daily Telegraph asked to pay Jim's Legal Bill

Australian media asking for the death penalty for the Bali bombers is another example of contradictory values and cross-cultural differences using the power.

These corporations are out of control and don't need to own more than one newspaper or television station and some of them don't even deserve ownership of any kind because they lack community standards, values and ethics.
The Australian newspaper and corporate media are the conduits of such lies about the government's agenda!

Is that what the Australian was being told by the government or have they lost their powers to ask questions?

Better still why didn't a senior government source tell GKCNN? GKCNN would ask specific question before writing untruths? The Howard Government promotes fear about anyone's intentions prompted by the fascist Howard Government.

Fascist wants more power for ASIO

How the Daily Terror seduced an Aussie public?

Six months ago the Senate rejected the Government's media ownership bill, which would have allowed media companies to own a newspaper and television station in the same city.
Last night the bill again passed the House of Representatives and Communications Minister Daryl Williams says it will be returned to the upper house early next year.

"We are willing to talk to senators who are willing to work with Government to reduce the restrictions on foreign and cross media ownership," he said.

"We've got to get the balance right between ensuring that there is diversity of ownership and diversity of opinion on the one hand, but we have to encourage participation in the media by people who are prepared to invest."





By Independent Media 2 December 03

RALPH: No we've got the balance wrong between ensuring that there is a diversity of ownership and diversity of opinion on the one hand and instead we have a diversity of corporate greed, lies and political grandstanding more like it.

As with schools and hospitals the community has the right to nurture itself. What is the good of greedy people who lie and who are prepared to invest? If corporate media can't give the community lie free information; we have to do the job ourselves.

School Curriculum needs balance? Life Skills and Academic Skills go hand in hand man

Back to school ... students arrive at St Edmund's College in Canberra

Under-fire principal explains he is taking a shot at cultural change

[Why are our teachers lost? Because the punishment is the crime.]

Colin Dwyer has no regrets about banishing 300 senior students from the school grounds for two days last week.

[But the power he used which is unequal in terms of the students power means that he will be less likely to get any form of obligation to change made by the students themselves.]

[Colin you need to be the students friends not their judge. Only when you can invite the students into the decision making process will you get an obligation by them to change their behaviour, because you Colin could lead by example and not by power.]

Speaking the day after addressing a 90-minute meeting of more than 400 parents, the principal of Canberra's best-known Catholic college, St Edmunds, said there was already a "marked improvement" in student behaviour.

But, he concedes, some might see his actions as "drastic". And, with hindsight, he probably would have done things a little differently.

"The meeting with the parents last night was very productive," he said yesterday.

"There was some hurt, there was some anger there amongst the parents. There was also a lot of positive support.

"But at the end of the meeting there were three outcomes - certainly one was that the parents generally were unhappy about the process. Now, I apologised to them for that."

However, Mr Dwyer, who is the first lay principal of St Edmunds, said the parents agreed very strongly that the culture of the college needed to change.

[But within the culture is the student's ability to relate to others in order to socialise with respect to everyone else. In short more Life Skills/Social Skills. Lack of these skills poses a threat to any form of Academic skills the students may attain.]

[A culture that had seen charges of bullying, vandalism, disrespect towards others, immature behaviour and poor work ethic is the result of lack of social skills. At the end of the day 5 percent of these kids will end up in jail.]

A suggestion that a cultural change consultant be appointed was yet to be considered. But parents made it clear at the meeting that they wanted to be consulted before future decisions were made.

Mr Dwyer said he had received incredible support for his decision, with e-mails popping up every five minutes from all sorts of people.

"I'm a fairly humble person and I didn't set out on this path to become the guru on cultural change in schools," he said.

"That seems to be something that's come after me for some reason. I'm just trying to do the best for the boys in this school."

Staff, parents and students would now embark on a process of "cultural redefinition", the principal said.

"There's no textbook on this, this is new ground."

"How do you change the culture of an organisation? They tried it with the NSW police. They've tried it with the defence forces," he said.

"Changing cultures is one of the hardest things to do, but we're having our shot at it."

By Ying Yang 12 June 03

THE PRISONER: Then have a shot at this! You don't make up a label (Cultural Redefinition) then categorise it and say, oh now there is no textbook do you? Why not choose a holistic approach? Social Skills and Life Skills must be balanced with Academic Skills within the curriculum. Then you have the root source of the problem, which is the inflation of the lack of resources (social skills) put into these children either at home or at school.

It's just a jump to the left! Collin! Do you know how many Social Skills there are? Contact Justice Action 02 9660 9111 and keep those kids out of jail by leading by example, because those kids can be your friends as well as your students. What are the benefits? Your friends are more obligated to learn and share ideas with you. In short, they like you. Incidentally we get more support from helping students to stay out of jail than we do from helping prisoners who are in jail.

Related:

NSW education professor warns further commitment needed
The author of a report on the New South Wales education system has urged the major political parties to do more for education in the election campaign.

Fiona Stanley, the children's crusader
It is all about prevention. As Fiona Stanley sees it, with one in five Australian teenagers experiencing significant mental health problems, there are just not enough treatment services to cope with the demand.

Parents call for feedback on social skills
Parents are calling for the same level of feedback on their children's social development as on their academic progress, according to a national survey.

The Seed
Respect, you only get out what you have put in. What about Life Skills, Communication and Conflict Resolution. Evolution, perhaps some children and adults miss the whole or part of the course. I did, and so how surprised do you think I was when I realised my parents missed the course as well. Things like Compromise, Win Win, Empathy, and Love. Invisible energy and other skills like public speaking, how to Relate, Assuming, Blaming, Forgiveness, Freedom and Discrimination. This is how I learned respect. If you don't know what it is then how do you relate?

The punishment: Is the 'crime'
The punishment is the crime according to retired chief Justice of the Family Court of Australia Justice Alistair Nicholson. "Smacking a child ought to be seen as assault".

RESTORING TRUE JUSTICE:
Australian prisons are fast becoming the new asylums of the third millennium. The prison industry is booming, while Australia spends far less on mental health services than similar countries.

Prison Mind Games-Do they exist?

Directives are given inside the prison system that are not consistent with the law in NSW. And not in the good interests of the health and well being of the prisoners.

A prisoner from Goulburn Jail writes to Justice Action on 13/3/02.

If you open a website with the words Prison Mind Games do they exist then; your monitor will melt down.

To stop the sadistic mind eroding games which cost many lives and bashings and the screws make millions in compo and jail scams.

The Prisoner says, "They have been at me for five years. These people preach reform and in big bold print say Corrective Services and also say Rehabilitation as their main concern along with Duty of Care."

"This is a crock of shit and everyone knows it. In third world countries in Nepal, their prisoners go home so do the Irish on special occasions and special prisoner days led by Amnesty International, Human Rights and the United Nations. Even in Mexico their wives can stay for the weekend, yet we have a service of crime.

In here the fear is that you will be set up by a screw, their squads or their employed dogs (informers)."

"I challenge you to try and come and visit me and bring the media with you" says, the prisoner.

He doesn't appear to think anyone could make it.

Prisoners are hanging themselves because screws are coercing others to intimidate. Three cases I know personally, Thomas Cambell Parsons 23, in Care Unit, 1997. Jason O'Donell 29, Min# 220781, 2000. Andrew Collis Min# 303371. All hung themselves as well as other witnesses to their comments. I know one investigation was 100 percent full of lies from the screws to the cops to cover it up.

We now recognise noise as an abuse, or even torture like barking dogs, slamming doors etc. These sadistic games are killing prisoners and frustrating them to rage to hit a screw so that person can receive a large sum of money in victim's compensation.

Black Nexus

The Separation of Powers Doctrine is nowcontaminated witharangeofcolours, now leaving us with a black shirt on a once blue bridge that crossed that thin blue line. The 'Amery and Woodham show'.

By Gregory Kable 16 April 2002

Related:

Truth
Who is telling the truth? Well I guess Dr. Ed. Chadbourne or Mr. Peter Ryan may have the answer to that. Dr. Chadbourne sacked by Peter Ryan and more specifically in my view because he elected deputy commissioners Dave Madden and Andrew Scipione as the best men in the service in relation to his qualifications to make a recommendation in his capacity as human resources.That is if you believe that a Dr. can be corrupted.

Honesty
What is happening between the Police Service and politics is quite extraordinary at the moment. If stand over tactics don't work tell half the truth honestly and follow the example of sheep. Another word for it is sleaze, yeah. Another word for it is workplace harassment. Another word for it is bribing a Police Officer. Another word for it is misleading Parliament.

Tele Tales
Most people I know don't buy the Daily Telegraph. Why? Because of the lies and propaganda purported by them.

Lord Denning
Interesting how a member of the Police Board Mr. Tim Priest would hold grave fears for his safety from dangerous senior police but fails to name them or have them sacked. Rather Priest resigns as if he had no powers. Could that mean what he was saying is that the Governments are also corrupt?

Corrosive
Clive Small is Bob Carr's choice for the new Police Commissioner. It could only be the case considering his, Small's special appointment into Parliament House. Small who suffers from the little person syndrome is the ideal bend over boy who gets shuffled through his corrupt actions. Rolling the legal system for him after the fact, just like his predecessor Roger the dodger Rogerson.

Black Nexus
The Separation of Powers Doctrine is nowcontaminated witharangeofcolours, now leaving us with a black shirt on a once blue bridge that crossed that thin blue line. The 'Amery and Woodham show'.

Same boat
The Premier, Bob Carr, relies on a militia. A gang of bikies and our Police Service, to show all of us he is no murderer. He should be taken to the task along with his partners in crime like Clive Small to account for those people who like my self have been maliciously assaulted and who have complained, without any service and those who cannot speak for themselves who were murdered, like Terry Falconer. Terry murdered in custody.

Good Cop
Why have our democratic institutions broken down? It's not just the criminal justice system. The Anti-Corruption Network webmaster@anti-corruption-network.org exposes the same issues. A group of white-collar workers who say they have suffered as follows:

Dangerous
I refer to the Daily Telegraph article 22 March 2002 under the heading Priest quits advisory job.

Partners in crime - history!
Roger Rogerson, the old hero, who never faced a result in the Warren Lanfranchi, or Sally-Anne Huckstepp murders, was let off in my opinion when the New South Wales Government rolled the legal system (deciding what evidence to give the police prosecutor) to have the jury believe the illusion they (the Government wanted to create).

Chronology - A History of Australian Prisons
[Allegedly:] The events that have shaped NSW prisons - from convict days through royal commissions, to the Supermax of today. [I say allegedly because no one should trust Four Corners [Walls], why? Because they spill out the propaganda of the day for the Government, whether it be wrong or right. A government that lies and has no remorse about it.]