Joe Hockey on Wed Late Line interview comments that middle class welfare may have to be cut for Australia to remain competitive with growing Asian Countries. He goes on to state that Australia should give $15 billion to the IMF to help the debt ridden countries of Europe. He goes on to agree that All Australian Governments have handed out far too many welfare goodies in past election campaigns. He is warning us all to prepare for a lot harder economic times? Will the political parties tell us what is going to be cut before the next election? I don't think so! What is you opinion? Regards Errol 43
We should extract more money from working, productive people and give it to Australians who sit on their couch holding Wii controllers in their Cheeto stained hands between beers and visits to the dole office.
I wonder if this sort of international money swapping CRAP would be any different under either a Liberal or a Labor government? In the end, us plebs through our taxes will be providing the powers to be with the finance they need for any of their adventures (ie paying tithes in turn to their own masters overseas). Nothing has changed much over the mellenium. Vassal states on the fringes of empire Rome still had their citizens pay taxes in order to pass on funding back to Empire Rome to redistribute as Rome saw fit.
Whats with the "non productive" bit? Who determines what is "product" or not? If some-one very productive wanted to: (i) set up an alternative energy source, he or she would be constrained by supposed rules, (ii) have a little livestock for self consumption, again more rules ie no sheep, goats, cattle, pigs etc anywhere near "urban" development, no roosters in case it upsets neighbours, no butchering of own stock due to other government rules (iii) educate own children to save on fee's, uniforms, and be freed from Government imposed times and social "programing" through the education syllabus, again not possible without ending up in jail or having ones children taken off them for non-conformity. (iv) work for cash in hand doing labouring, then a percentage of that hard earned money still must be given back to the government (taxes) (v) barter their produce, again, not possible because the government has set things up to ensure that this is very difficult etc etc etc Yeah, I know some of you will say "who wants to live like that anyway".......... the point is, the system is set up in such a way that one doesn't have true choice or freedom to do it, whether they wanted to or not. Non-productive people? What a huge judgement call mate. There are a lot of very productive people out there (hard working but on the lower socio-economic strata), who I often hire for manual work from time to time. They are not where they are solely because of their own fault. And what about good old Aunt May who got hit by a car and as a consequence now receives both health and cost of living assistance from the government because she can no longer work in her wheelchair with breathing tubes? Do you want to wheel her into a gas chamber because she is "non-productive"? It's not black and white.
Except those that are "non productive" through no fault of their own due to their age, health or need to care for others who cant help themselves, i.e.: the genuinely needy. Able bodied men and women should support themselves in a country like Australia, some businesses are trying to import workers from overseas to fill jobs that are "beneath" Australians who are on the dole.
Joe Hockey just made the a-hole list, I thought he was slightly better than other pollies but guess again. Agree get rid of all welfare through a transition plan but pouring our fiat down the European debt sink is so f-ing stupid he should be shot for suggesting it, they are already going to get plenty from the carbon tax..
Yes take from the middle class in Australia and give it to the Elites in Europe... sounds like a good plan to ol Joe "Got an Agenda" Hockey
He is being very generous with our money, at least it isn't being wasted on some humanitarian efforts like digging wells for African Villages or helping out rebuilding devastated cities after earthquakes. It should go to the people who have already managed to lose all the money in Europe. They are the ones who really need it
What middle class welfare??? With all the assets and income limits and tests, there is very little welfare that a true middle class Aussie would be eligible for. Maternity leave, baby bonus, medicare (even though this is still paid for by the individual) are the few things i can think of. It all goes to teenage, drop-out, single mothers with 5 children by 5 different men.
Does the first home owners grant get classed as welfare, what about the solar rebates, or water tanks?
I'd say no, not true welfare where you get something for nothing. Solar rebate is going soon, isn't it?
The video and transcript is up. The following always catches my eye. http://www.abc.net.au/lateline/content/2012/s3480665.htm
I don't have a problem with welfare... provided it's means tested and comes in the form of food stamps/rental assistance etc, rather than big cash handouts.
...harder economic time?...the rich gets richer and the poor takes less...just take a good look around....
Well, I am not in favour of rising crime, and don't give me this shyt that there are jobs out there for each person.
