One of the glories of social media is that we, as individuals, dont have to be polite in the face of political crassness. I dont think this media release from the Australian Council of Social Service (ACOSS) says a whole lot ... but they have to stay alive to negotiate on another day and this time they are up against a tough nut. An organisation like Advocacy has a bit more leeway in telling things like they are. Bearing in mind the old wisdom of using past behaviour as a predictor of future behaviour, social welfare in Australia is in for a torrid time. There are two ways of looking at social welfare managed and resourced by the Federal Government: a safety net or as an economic portfolio. Based on the dud budget of Joe Hockey and the new manager, Scott Morrison MP, it is doubtful whether the welfare of Australians is paramount in the Abbott Governments thinking. Morrisons new portfolio will be seen as an economic one. Morrisons tough, heartless management of the Department of Immigration and Border Security is being rewarded by the gift of an economic portfolio. In one sense, it could be seen as a promotion. In another sense, it is difficult to stop the thought that Abbott is relying on Morrison to be tough and distasteful against the odds in managing social support (or removing social support) from Australians in need. Will we see the widespread introduction of a form of the Basics Card introduced to the Aboriginal population of the Northern Territory as lynchpin of The Intervention. A lot of shock horror could well lie ahead.
Posted on: Mon, 22 Dec 2014 00:49:35 +0000
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