"""
nobody is talking about banning alcohol (although Diver dan seems to want to sail reasonably close to that aim).
"""

Sorry, my post was a reaction to Emperor dan's post.

teaching a work ethic, family responsibility and not giving out grog money would be extremely unpopular but very effective. Food vouchers might take away dignity but not nearly as much as child abuse fueled by alcholol, the violence and destruction of human beings. No one really wants real answers especially Governments frighten of self interested idiotic UN reports. Most people sitting around doing zilch all day will end up drinking or taking drugs when available.

Alcohol abuse should be treated as a serious sociological and psychological problem, and addiction even more so, irrespective of where it is evident, and particularly where dependent children are involved. But, I don't see increasing the price, or the banning of cheap alcohol being more than perhaps a component of an overall solution strategy.

It seems clear that abusers of alcohol require both discipline and a constructive career path. Perhaps like refugee detainees, such people need constructive occupation, and support to deal with the psychological issues causing them to drink or to be destructive.

With welfare recipients, perhaps national service or at least work for the dole could be constructively employed more extensively, and drug testing made mandatory - again, particularly where dependent children are involved. Food vouchers would also be a useful strategy component, but I still think education, life 'learning', and useful occupation must be key components of any long term solution.

People may need self-determination, but from what we see of some of these 'camps' there is nothing self-determining about them, just squalor, decay and totally disheartening societal degradation. Even the total removal of alcohol from such squalid surroundings could achieve little, and may even exacerbate an already soul-destroying existence.

People should not be left to drown in their own destitution, and I feel only a full and comprehensive intervention, overhaul and societal reconstruction would be able to break the current destructive cycle of abuse and hopelessness.

I agree with Runner in that we need to go back to food and service vouchers for dole payments for people with children, instead of cash.

All bills such as rent and utilities should be paid before the rest goes into the recipients bank account.

This should be done for all those on welfare payments who have children, so at least the kids will have food and a roof over their heads.

I don't care what the do gooders would say about taking over people's rights to manage their 'own' money.

We have to do what's right for the children who have no say in their parents choices.

Alcohol is not the problem, it's the way it is used, and abused, by some that is the problem.

Two or three cigarettes a day is very harmful to ones health, whereas two or three light beers, or a glass or two of wine is not. So heavily taxing alcohol would hurt decent respectable consumers.

The answer, as in many cases, is quarantining of welfare.

NO CASH, MEANS NO SPLASH!

>>The answer, as in many cases, is quarantining of welfare.<<

That will only help people on welfare. How would you reduce alcohol abuse by people who don't receive benefits? Quarantine their income as well?

Cheers,

Tony