The issue of unemployable people is certainly a very real one, however quite a few of the real deadbeats seem to find their way into politics. I recall a conversation I had with the dying duck, who told me 'I didn't get into politics for the money, I could earn many times my political salary in the private sector'. Needless to say, the clown was not impressed when I advised him that no employer in possession of their senses would be stupid enough to employ him. There are however far too many highly skilled people in this country whose unforgiveable sin is they are more than 40 years old. Meanwhile the parasitic CEO element who expect to be paid ten or twenty million pa crap on about skill shortages when their object is to import staff from third world countries on 457 visas & pay them a fraction of the money that Australians would cost.

what's wrong with requiring the long term unemployed to either do so many hours of community work a week, like in nursing homes especially, or if not, 2 years of national service?

Living on the backs of the taxpayers should be out of the question: everyone should pitch in and do their fair share: it's called "nation building."

Fair crack of the whip, mate!

community work a week, like in nursing homes especially, or if not, 2 years of national service?
SHRODE,
Careful there, I've been proposing that for a long time now but the Lefties are firing the Flak every time. They just don't seem to like the idea of people having to pull at least some of their weight.
I agree re the unemployable but that does in no way infer they can't work. Even the most qualified village idiots can pick up rubbish or dig with pick & shovel and, isn't there a lot of that to be done. Instead of maintaining expensive machinery the unemployables can make up their mind if they want to learn to get a job or not. The alternative to not getting a job is to do menial work. At least that's what I expect for my Tax Dollar.

what's wrong with requiring the long term unemployed to either do so many hours of community work a week, like in nursing homes especially, or if not, 2 years of national service?

What indeed ! The fact that a proper 'work for the dole' hasn't been instituted is a damning indictment on gubmunts generally. Mind you there would need to be some kind of oversight by sentient beings & that breed is pretty thin on the ground in Centrelink / DEWR. More to the point is number of people on Newstart due to the 'skills shortage' male bovine dropping perpetuated on the sheeple. There is not, nor ever has been, a shortage of 'skills' in this country, the ONLY thing in short supply is under 40s tradespeople prepared to work for less than award conditions. Discrimination laws have done diddley squat to prevent employers (shock horror) from 'discriminating and / or importing cheap labour on 457 visas. With a bit of intelligence & ingenuity, Australia could EASILY utilized the unemployed & have four lane freeways from east to west & north to south, a defence force second to none, border protection to die for (NO illegal migration), agricultural development that would shame the israelis & a half-way switched on workforce that would DEMAND accountability. Mind you the latter is sufficient to send the wind up any of the bloodsucking parasite political species.

There are 2 CEA offices with some 12 staff & also a Jobfind office with quite a few staff. Now, we're looking at a community of about 3500 where 90% of jobs are public service.
Councils say they have not enough funding to employ more people. So, anyone still agree with Labor's legacy ? Many do because they complain bitterly about the Premier's cut-backs.

The reason councils bitch about lack of funds is because they squander most of their revenue on overpaid / underworked half million dollar CEOs, propping up lost causes eg the bicycle hire scheme in Brisbane, Tom Tate cruise ship terminal & the Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast etc etc. As with all levels of politics, we have inept & unaccountable dumbclucks who could never survive in the real world making decisions about other peoples money.