A SPIKE in the number of Australians who are divorced or in de facto relationships is contributing to slower economic growth and rising carbon emissions. This was what Social Services Minister Kevin Andrews was planning on telling the controversial World Congress of Families conference in Melbourne today, before the senior government minister cancelled his opening address at the eleventh hour. Mr Andrews released a copy of the speech he was going to deliver to the right-wing pro-families conference, in which he says the “retreat from marriage has had profound economic consequences”, including a ballooning of welfare costs. “The growth of a non-married and less child-centred society slows economic growth,” Mr Andrews planned on saying. He also planned on citing US research which concludes the “separation and divorce has led to less efficient use of energy and resources and bigger expenditure on utilities, largely as a consequence of the increased demand for additional housing”. Well, with Kevin Andrews no longer delivering this speech, we have at least curbed some emitting of toxic hot air.
Posted on: Sat, 30 Aug 2014 04:39:46 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015