Income Management Policy

[Wedgie]

Gozu, I'm of Aboriginal descent ( my father was one of the stolen generation), what question did you exactly want to ask me?

If you're asking what I thought of the apology a while back from Rudd both my Dad and I thought it was a complete waste of time and it turns out we were right as nothing has happened since.

[Gingernuts]

Another more comprehensive take on this issue:

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/11/26/2753970.htm

There are some people in the Central Deserts region who would like to see income management extended to all of their cross-border region of the NT, South Australia, WA and Queensland.

They say large amounts of cannabis and other drugs are hurting communities despite all the Australian government monies going into new police stations and police housing under the COAG (Council of Australian Governments) national partnership.

Jenny Macklin has a tough road ahead.

Her spokeswoman says it is about changing the "culture of welfare dependence" for all Australians.

In the first instance, it is about the immediate problem of the poor living conditions of many Australian children.

As always with these issues, it's very easy to sit back and criticise ie the Greens in the earlier article. Suggesting a viable alternative proposal though?

[mick]

Another more comprehensive take on this issue:

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/11/26/2753970.htm

There are some people in the Central Deserts region who would like to see income management extended to all of their cross-border region of the NT, South Australia, WA and Queensland.

They say large amounts of cannabis and other drugs are hurting communities despite all the Australian government monies going into new police stations and police housing under the COAG (Council of Australian Governments) national partnership.

Jenny Macklin has a tough road ahead.

Her spokeswoman says it is about changing the "culture of welfare dependence" for all Australians.

In the first instance, it is about the immediate problem of the poor living conditions of many Australian children.

As always with these issues, it's very easy to sit back and criticise ie the Greens in the earlier article. Suggesting a viable alternative proposal though?

I don't have a problem with changing the culture of welfare dependence, so long as it is applied across the board to ALL Australians receiving welfare. I think Gozu is right a policy like this if enacted appeals very strongly to many on the conservative side of politics. The political divide is becoming blurred. In the future perhaps competance of government will ensure electoral success, rather than ideology or policy.

[Jimmy_041]

So which party is moving across the spectrum or are both?

[mick]

So which party is moving across the spectrum or are both?

I think the ALP is definitely moving to right, and will continue to do so under Rudd, if Turnbull survives I suspect the Liberal party may become more "liberal", but I think the cave dwellers will oust him before the end of 2010. However with arch conservative policies such as this one from Labor they will find it hard to differentiate themselves to the 15-20% who aren't rusted on either way. Maybe we'll se a resurgance in the minor parties in response to this, perhaps the Greens will attract people who see themselves as socialists?

[Jimmy_041]

So, in the words of one of the posters on here, the Australian "Labor" Party is "becoming irrelevant" as it moves further and further to the right. Maybe we will end up with a Liberal Party and a Conservative Party.

Half the federal MPs are bourgeois lawyers anyway. Paul Keating is a good example of what the new Labor Party politician is. Only time he ever got his hands dirty was with french polish for his clocks

Actually, I've never understood why the name Liberal Party

"Not limited to or by established, traditional, orthodox, or authoritarian attitudes, views, or dogmas"

[mick]

So, in the words of one of the posters on here, the Australian "Labor" Party is "becoming irrelevant" as it moves further and further to the right. Maybe we will end up with a Liberal Party and a Conservative Party.

Half the federal MPs are bourgeois lawyers anyway. Paul Keating is a good example of what the new Labor Party politician is. Only time he ever got his hands dirty was with french polish for his clocks

Actually, I've never understood why the name Liberal Party

"Not limited to or by established, traditional, orthodox, or authoritarian attitudes, views, or dogmas"

I think it comes from the idea of Liberal capitalism as espoused by Bob Menzies. There certainly was diffentiation between parties in those days when the ALP was unashamedly socialist. Think the socialist plank in the ALP manifesto was quitely removed some years ago.

[Jimmy_041]

My father always said you need a regular changeover of government

Labor in power to fix the social issues / Liberals in power to fix the finances

A sharing of government allows a balance in the life of the country

[Gozu]

Gozu, I'm of Aboriginal descent ( my father was one of the stolen generation), what question did you exactly want to ask me?

If you're asking what I thought of the apology a while back from Rudd both my Dad and I thought it was a complete waste of time and it turns out we were right as nothing has happened since.

Fair enough, Wedgie. But from my experiences I would say quite a few Aboriginal people were very happy with the apology.

For anyone that is interested there is a pretty lively discussion on the whole income management thing going on at LP:

http://larvatusprodeo.net/2009/11/25/in-other-news/

[Gozu]

Excellent piece by Eva Cox on the government's plans to roll out income management nation wide:

"As the government has promised to reinstate the RDA, it has now proposed extending the process to non Indigenous communities, with high levels of disadvantaged residents. The proposal is to exempt veteran, age and disability pensions but target the less politically popular unemployed and sole parents, and allows those people that can prove their bona fides to ask for an exemption. It will start next year in the NT and then be extended to the rest of Australia."

http://blogs.crikey.com.au/thestump/200 ... be-having/