Welfare dependant parents setting their children up for failure...

[V8]

Article -

So it's coming into affect in Logan and Rockhampton, i wonder what the repurcussions of this will be?

[AliG]

OK so we are on welfare for about half of each year and I am considering private school does that make me a bad Mum. And DH loves his girls and takes them everywhere is he a bad dad. I hate steriotyping

[Lateralus]

At the risk of opening up a can of whoop@rse.. The article is talking about the outcomes of a study.. Not basing their case on a stereotype or generalisation!

I honestly don't think it's such a bad idea.. Helps to break the cycle of welfare & gives people more access to employment, services and education. Although 6 months after bub is born seems a little too soon..

[MsMummy]

The article is very emotive, but statistically growing up in a household where nobody works increases the child's chances of being welfare dependant as an adult.

But I don't think a "stick" approach is ideal or necessarily effective. I would rather see the "carrot" approach where there there are incentives, like study being paid for or bonuses or something.

I think unemployment issues are complex, and the dole bludger stereotype is awful. My partner has worked in job network for about 10 years, mostly with people unemployed for at least 12 months. Most of them have some barrier, not just laziness. That's why just threatening to cut off payments is unfair as some people just can't meet these more onerous requirements.

[codswallop]

i think if we offer real, choices then its fantastic!
but if the choices on offer are like the ones now????

[Azurial]

Well at last..... its so obvious to me that many children of people who are long term benefit receivers grow up with little to no work ethic and little to no desire to break the cycle for themselves. Of course there are always exceptions as with everything.

I get so annoyed with people who I know who tell me how much they would love to get some work but only as long as it X amount, cash and doesnt interfere with their payments or they earn over $600 a week and only work school hours.... its just so wrong and there is little to no incentive for them to get off benefits.

I hope this can work and make some changes for the better.......

[spoon]

I think it is disgraceful that the Author of this article has used a report to bash people who are living below the poverty line. Absolutely disgraceful that our gaze is on the people who have had the worst cards in life dealt to them instead of looking at our financial system and policy making framework that has taken from the poor and given to the rich. The third sector (charitable and welfare sector) need to evolve and become more financially viable and independent from government funding, and we as a population need to ask why we accept such a massive and ever growing gap between rich and poor. We have a minimum wage yeah? So why on earth do we not have a maximum wage? Disgraceful.

[DaddyLarge]

As I said when this was first announced in the budget, I think that it's a positive thing for all concerned. I'm glad that we live in a country that is there to support people in rough situations, but perpetuating the welfare dependency cycle is doing a massive disservice to both the community and the individuals involved - especially the children.

Hopefully the pilot scheme is run well, and hopefully it is expanded soon.

[bumMum]

I am in one of the targetted areas and am going to involved in bringing in some of these changes possibly (as community worker) and I believe it will be a very positive thing. For example where I live young girls with babies will be visited to set up education pathway plans and have a lot of support and assistance. Long term unemployment is such an entrenched problem in some places. Those who are skeptical are probably quite middle class and don't see the lives some people live. There is a lot more work being done to make this work, and I think it will. One of the biggest challenges will be childcare places and affordability.

[V8]

The thing that gets me is the system just goes about things the wrong way, sure there's probably a fair few that see their parents not working and perpetuate the welfare cycle, but what if their parents do have legitimate reasons. I look at my situation, we will soon have 3 kids, my husband only works 8 hours a week because he has a disability, i have fibromyalgia and am DH's full time carer. Essentially we don't work, but we have a mortgage and send our kids to private school, so it's a pretty weird set up but i would hate that my kids think we sit pretty and then don't want to work etc. I also think the system disadvantages those that do want to work and they should provide more incentives to do so, rather than implement harsh penalties for not meeting their criteria to receive benefits. I can see why some wouldn't work when there is no incentive or benefit to doing so. How about they supplement low income earners or something so they still receive partial benefits while retraining or doing volunteer work, anything that helps them gain skills rather than penalise them. This particular case with parents being forced into employment or study while their child is 6 months old is utterly appalling, how is that going to be an advantage to their child?? Why not wait till they are older?