Being poor 'nothing to be proud of'

[Dot]

Typical liberals.
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hehe.

I thought the forum was meant to avoid politics and the associated discussions.

All ok as long as everyone behaves themselves and don't get toooooo involved

[Lance]

I didn't open this thread to start a 'political' debate.
I was offended by the remarks made in that article by a Parliamentary Member, and I'm sure I wasn't the only one.
Which side of the fence he stands is irrelevant as far as I can see, he is representing the Australian public and to make remarks like he has done is just not on.
Respect goes both ways and I reckon that bloke has just lost a whole heap of it.

[Noggins]

I didn't open this thread to start a 'political' debate.
I was offended by the remarks made in that article by a Parliamentary Member, and I'm sure I wasn't the only one.
Which side of the fence he stands is irrelevant as far as I can see, he is representing the Australian public and to make remarks like he has done is just not on.
Respect goes both ways and I reckon that bloke has just lost a whole heap of it.

Well that's an oxymoron if I ever saw one .
"Political respect "
Where most I speak to think any politician would have to get on a very high step ladder to scratch a snake's belly


Ron

[T1 Terry]

I think this pollie could do with someone writing his speeches so they are worded a tad better Those not so well off would have been a much better way of wording it rather than the poor, I doubt anyone would have been upset with that sort of wording.
As far as the pension being a tax payer right? I can't agree here, as far as I see it, the pension was originally intended to be much like unemployment, designed to help those who needed a hand to stay above the poverty line if life had not dealt them a good set of cards. Those who weren't making big $$ didn't have to put that much in toward the future pension fund, those who did make good $$ had to put more in as it was quite likely they were part to do with the fact some didn't make quite the income they potentially could have. The really well off didn't get there on their own, they rode there on the backs of the lower paid employees who made them their big $$.
All this went pear-shaped when politics became a career path rather than the original intent of it being part of the virtual voluntary service to the country where expenses were met but out of control pension plans were never part of the deal, tax avoidance became a national sport of the wealthy and avoiding working at all became the national sport of those at the other end of the financial scale. A career path of have kids at carefully spaced intervals to ensure the single parent pension for the normal working life, having multiple women as breeders so a large house and an income better than the basic wage would be supplied by the social security network.... the list goes on, whole different career paths designed to milk the taxes collected from the same sources that were originally designed to support infrastructure, law and order, education and health of a nation.

I can't see a way either end of this tax rorting being cleaned up without both ends being treated the same way,

pay all your due taxes with no loop holes

receive a pension or part pension only if that is required to keep you above the poverty line and this goes for all of Australia including the pollies

community housing in multiple family communities for those who rely on the single parent pension and as part of the deal they staff the child care facility so each are rostered on so each mum has a chance to clean house, shop and look for employment or further their education so they have the opportunity to move up and out of this basic support structure.

Unemployment payments become low paid employment payments and rather than work for the dole schemes and employment agencies milking the system, pay the money to employers to assist training so we again have a skilled work force

Rant over, back to normal transmission

[JohnM]

he is representing the Australian public

I beg you to show me one politician of either major party that represents the public in any way, they represent the party that pre-selected them and their own interests only. Try asking one of them what their opinion is on any contentious matter and their answer will be "That they will have to check the party line". their prime, if not only concern is getting pre-selection for the next election.
Kind of like Andy, from Henry Lawson's "Middleton's Rouseabout"
"Hasn't any opinions,
Hasn't any "idears"."

[SteveW]

Terry for PM.