"To see a Labor Prime Minister intentionally trotting out statements which play to popular stereotypes of disadvantaged Australians is a disappointing state of affairs"

Well said Rachel - and it needs to be said loud and clear. But disappointing? Yes but I'd go further - really disgusting that the once proud and compasssionate ALP can descend to this. The attacks on the disadvantaged go on and on. So many of us rejoiced at the end of Howard but it was not the end of Howardism.

Where is the compassion that a rich country like Australia could exercise? How can that be rekindled? Where has the fair go gone? Can we get it back?

Gavin Mooney

Australia needs a Labor Party.

The ALP has really lost its way over the past decade.

"The biggest barrier is not the reluctance of people to work. It is the reluctance of employers to take the 'risk' of employing them. This is the reason why this ‘tough love’ rhetoric is so counter-productive."

And that is the crux of the problem. Those who can work, even part-time are not given the opportunity and many people fall through the cracks. Part of living in a First World civilised society is also accepting some people may never be able to work or they are caring for someone who is permanently disabled and ongoing support will be required.

Many years ago I had a medical condition and found it hard to find work that suited my particular medical requirements. I asked for help and was told I was not disabled enough to access those services which help disabled people find work nor when I explained my condition to employers were they willing to take me on. In the end I hid the illness as best I could and ensured any job I applied matched my needs. For the most part it turned out fine.

In the end I did not need the support but it would have made my job in finding work much easier. I was also a hidden statistic being supported at that time by my husband and receiving no other benefits. We were both fine with that, it wasn't about receiving financial support it was about finding suitable work.

Thankfully the condition has much improved and I can now work almost like a 'normal' person with less restrictions, but the experience gave me real insight to other people whose conditions, much worse than mine, can be shoved into the too hard basket.

Good article Rachel. But what about trying to make the most of a bad situation? If Labor wants to get its 'work for the dole' 'reforms' through, demand reform of Newstart as part of the package. Demand $50/week more basic Newstart payment, and $100/week more for those working two days a week... Reform of Newstart is long overdue, and these proposals may create such public sympathy that there may be support for reform...

*and ensured any job I applied matched my needs. For the most part it turned out fine.*

Ah there you go Pelican, you managed to solve it all by yourself.
No need for the Govt to hold your hand.

The Nappy State is not the answer. People need to learn to change
their own.

Yaby there are really two options on this issue:

a) Take your approach and let people sort it out themselves. When they can't, pay them welfare to make up for it, potentially for the rest of their lives. The more people who end up like this, the more you start to see entire suburbs that have never worked, and will never work. Guess what happens to health, crime, education etc in those, and the surrounding areas? Also, it becomes pretty expensive.

b) Take a look at who is not employing people at risk of long term disadvantage, and make them.

First step - look at the public service. What efforts have they made to employ the long term unemployed, single mums and the disabled?

Next step - top 100 companies in Australia - if anybody has the knowhow to make it work they do. Ask them what the issue is. Figure it out.

The second approach may cost more in the short term, but it costs a lot less in the long term. It does not hold people's hands or change their nappies as you suggest. It simply removes some of the barriers when they are so large as to be immovable by the individual alone. It is better for all of us that way.

On the one hand we are saying there are not enough workers - so we need to go and get them from somewhere else. On the other hand we are saying that for some people it is simply too hard to employ them. That is not a rational or dignified response.

Well said Rachel.