Well, I’m appalled. Apparently there are more people on Disability Support Pensions than war wounded. What’s wrong with our soldiers? Weren’t they trying hard enough? Gees, no wonder we lost at Gallipolli.
Oh, not the message I’m supposed to take from this? Ah, apparently, I’m meant to think that people on the DSP are slackers and that it’s about time that the stood on their own two feet. Unless they only have one, of course, in which case the remark about standing on their own two feet is a little insensitive. Still, we’re not meant to worry about offending people these days.
KEVIN ANDREWS: The problem with the DSP, and this has been the case for years, probably decades, is that it’s been a set and forget payment.
People have been put on the DSP and that’s been the end of it, and they could stay there for years or decades. We’ve said, look, we should be looking at the capacity of people.
Now, one would have thought that they’d occasionally be reviewed. But no, apparently once you’re on a DSP, that’s the end of it. Mm, according to some people, the Public Service don’t seem to know this.
But the message from the Abbott Government is very clear. You need to take responsibility for yourself, it’s not up to the government to help you. Personal responsibility. And, oh, stop thinking about yourself and support this Budget for the good of the country.
As for the unemployed, well, we know that they’re lazy and choosy. It’s about time that they followed the lead of Tony Abbott’s daughter, Louise, who had to move to Switzerland to find work. If you’re unemployed, you should be prepared to move to where the jobs are, so in the case of car industry workers, that means moving to Japan or Korea. As Mr Abbott said, they should be prepared to take any job they could reasonably do. After all, if a woman in her sixties can do phone sex, what could we expect of younger, more able people?
Yes, “earn or learn” that’s the motto. Why don’t the unemployed do a uni course, and build up a HECs commitment? They should pay more for their course, because it’ll help get the Budget back in the black. After all, we don’t want to saddle our children with debt.
My experience as a potential employer backs up this view of the unemployed. Just last month, I interviewed several candidates for a job as my personal assistant, but all refused the job on the grounds that they also wanted to be paid. Now, in my day, we’d have been grateful just to have the experience and the dignity of work, but no, these days young people have to have everything – the mobile phone, the ipad, food, shelter. Mark my words, by the time Abbott is finished, they’ll be happy to take on the job in order to have a roof over their head during business hours.
As that Liberal MP, George Christensen said: “Aussies should do tour of Asia & live like locals to put these 1st world complaints re budget in perspective.” Well, the great thing about this Budget is that it may give some Australians the chance to try this, without the need for a trip overseas.
Author’s Apology: In a recent blog, I listed some of Abbott’s great qualities. Unfortunately, I’d failed to notice the resemblance to Churchill and Kennedy, which Barnaby Joyce pointed out. I am yet to ascertain whether it was for Churchill’s decision to send the troops in during a miners’ strike, his role in the bombing of Dresden or his attitude to Indian independence where he remarked, “The truth is that Gandhi-ism and everything it stands for will have to be grappled with and crushed”. Whatever, I can certainly see why Abbott reminds him of Churchill. As for Kennedy, he was a womaniser, whose presidency only lasted three years – one of the shortest on record. I see no resemblance whatsoever.
