Hey steve101,
A lot of people put forward their ideas in a way where they argue a point to validate and reinforce their existing beliefs, rather than take all comments in and use 'the bigger picture' of knowledge and wisdom shared to then have a more educated opinion.
Maybe we do get all dumbed down and lose the ability to rationalise things intelligently as much as we should.
The Liberal Party has become infamous for their 3 word slogans recently.
Maybe they think we're not intelligent enough to understand any more than that.

But people who actively take part in discussions are still taking part in the learning process (even if some are a little close minded) and thats a good thing.
It's generally good when people share thoughts and ideas.

I agree with your criticisms of democracy.
The 2 party system is a system of 'pass the baton'.
I have other criticisms of democracy too, in democracy the 51% of people can take away the rights of the 49%, so if your in the 49% you don't have freedom.
Democracy also allows a country to be slowly stripped of all its wealth and infrastructure to arrive at an eventual place called Austerity which demands a banking dictatorship.
Democracy also creates problems that it cannot fix itself.
Freedom of religion (a good ideal) and Islamification (a potential threat to our safety and way of life).
Also 'If they make the rules for us, we should make the rules for them'.
Without that there's no REAL balance of power between us and them.
How about keeping election promises, or not lying to the Australian people, or being accountable when they make bad decisions?

But I don't necessicarily oppose democracy just because I criticise it, I just try to keep it real by understaning its boundaries and respecting its failings.

Hey Rache,
The article you posted was interesting and highlights problems with the system in rural areas.

Capitalism might be a fair and reasonable system, but is it fair when for example you have 2 skilled people both looking for work and willing to work, but there's only one job on offer?
Someone has to lose out.

Its one thing to make people try harder to find employment, but another thing altogether to exploit them as cheap labour when their aren't any jobs, (and then starve them for non compliance).

On the other end of the scale in the suburbs the government lets companies like Coles and Woolworths who profit from welfare give jobs such as trolley collection to non Australians.

It's not really fair to have a system where foreigners can take Aussie jobs, while at the same time Aussies are punished or exploited for not getting jobs that essentially don't exist.

The related story provided more info as well.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-05-10/remote-wa-community-left-without-basics-under-work-for-the-dole/7400648

Hey Rojama,
Sorry for the slow reply and thanks for sharing your ideas.
The 'basic income' is an interesting idea as its another example of base level socialism.
But while your idea involves moving numbers around my idea focuses more on 'streamlining' the WFTD system as well.

I think its pretty harsh that your on your third year of work for the dole.
Did you get a choice of what you wanted to do?
Does the extra money they give you even cover your transport costs to and from WFTD?
Are there any job opportunities near where you live that your WFTD helps you be better prepared for?
Are you getting any skills or experience or does WFTD help you in any way at all?
Do you like wht you do?

I think that whatever your doing, you firstly deserve more money for making the effort, and it should be meaningful work thats also balanced with the opportunity to get skills and experience, thus improving your potential to help yourself get good paying work.

If your doing your third year on work for the dole, just the fact that you've proven willing to make the effort means you deserve more money and better opportunities, and in some ways the systems let you down.
If they don't help you to do better, and give you fair reward for what you do then they are essentially exploiting you.

I found this news article about the $1 sale of Rio Tinto's Blair Athol coal mine.
They're saying the cleanup bill could be a worth several hundered million dollars.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-07-12/rio-tinto-selling-massive-queensland-coal-mine-for-dollar/7588916

But whilst others see a liability I see a potential opportunity.
The cleanup of a place like this could provide a perfect place to train people skills.

Say we took that cleanup expense and put it towards skills and training whilst giving unemployed people the opportunity to earn more for their WFTD?

If they gave people the opportunity to earn & learn - get the opportunity to earn double their dole payment I think some people would jump at the opportunity, even if people had to live out there in the mobile dwellings I spoke about getting WFTD people to build or assemble.

Suddenly these people who are on the poverty line with little dispensable income (paying so much in rent) now have a good deal of dispensable income.

You could make it fun, combining working and training and even take people to the coast near the great barrier reef on their weekends and let them get their boat and jetski licences as earned rewards or spent training credits, even motorbikes training courses which they could use where required on site, or even let them use small atv's.
(safer one's, like this one. http://www.polaris.com/en-au/ranger-utv/ranger-ev-avalanche-gray).

How much do we spend on a persons welfare (from birth) health and education over a lifetime?
Whats the minimum we spend just for person to become grade 10 drop-out?
And how much more does it cost when that person doesn't become productive spends a lifetime on welfare? Maybe even time in jail?
Its worth more to just give people a chance to do better.
Just give them the opportunity and they will choose it.

Hi Armchair Critic,

Thanks for your response to my suggestions and here are the answers you are seeking to your questions.

1.Did you get a choice of what you wanted to do?

I was provided with a few options but they are limited to what is available in my part of Australia, in other words I don't live in a capital city.

2.Does the extra money they give you even cover your transport costs to and from WFTD?

There is public transport options available but its not a frequent service, lucky I own a motor vehicle so I choose to use that.

3.Are there any job opportunities near where you live that your WFTD helps you be better prepared for?

Yes but actual positions available are far and few between because the nature of the work is not in a high demand industry

4.Are you getting any skills or experience or does WFTD help you in any way at all?

No, I've done this kind of work before but years ago, it does not teach my anything I didn't know before.

Do you like wht you do?

Yes, but opportunities in my field are very limited in this country and even when positions become available, they invariably are located in capital cities like Melbourne or Sydney or even overseas. Moving to capital cities is out of the question because of not only relocation costs but also once your there, the high costs in accommodation compared to rural/regional areas of Australia.

I will add that my employment services provider has deferred my WFTD positioning because they say they are in the process of securing my WFTD locations at the moment.

(continued below)

I don't appear in "official employment statistics" because I do piece meal work (that is work that pays below the federal minimum award hourly rate). Have to do this to top up the dole money otherwise cost of living expenses become too much of a struggle despite having a low level standard of living.

At this stage of the discussion, I would like to add that the federal government should consider raising the amount of money one can earn before the dole starts getting scaled back. At the moment it is $100 a fortnight (thanks to Julia Gillard's labor government). I'd suggest something like $150 or more as a fair and equitable start. Otherwise where is the incentive to go out and do ANY kind of work and that includes very lowly paid piece meal work?

Lucky I am a very resilient person that owns their own home otherwise I could apply for the DSP under the condition of clinical depression, So I am classified by the system as underemployed. We are a growing group within Australian society, I can assure you I'm not the only one.

I will add that I have a broad base of life experiences in both public and private sectors and have even attempted to start up my own businesses in the past. Such is the egalitarian flavor or Australian society! too have a "fair go", something of significant value in anyone's books.