The trashing of penalty rates just rendered the poor, poorer. This is Government concern for the excluded, highlighted.

There is a relentless attack on the poor in Western economies. Cost of living is outstripping the ability of low wage earners to remain in the economy, and exist at an acceptable standard to ensure self respect and the feeling of inclusion.

Before any innovation such as suggested in this article, much more urgent action is necessary in other fields under Government control.
The first priority is to have available "meaningful" productive employment for those in our communities unskilled and basically educated.
Redesigned hand-outs do not inclusion produce.

The Western economies carry an over-abundance of the wealthy and the well educated.
And a growing class of people heading in the opposite direction.
Treating this group of people officially, which governments do, by ignoring their concerns for housing and their need for inclusive employment, as second-class citizens, is rendering this group to long term poverty and social dislocation. The fruits of this ignorance are large before us.

And having the US Labour Party, the Democrats, through Clintons glib branding of this group as the "deplorables", advertises to this large and growing group, that any reliance on Government acknowledgment of their plight, is not and will not be forthcoming from any direction but protest! Arise Donald Trump! (Or Reincarnated Hitler), if this situation is not reversed.

No, more handouts will not cut the mustard!

For starters we need an energy policy that enriches us as opposed to profit gouging, debt laden foreign speculators!

We need a tax policy and quite massive reform that returns fairness and equity, as well as obliging any who make profits here pay as much tax as anyone else as a percentage of income! So they no longer lean on the tax paying lifters!

Energy needs to be returned to the much more affordable public ownership model or cooperative enterprise. Rather than left as something we outsource to price gouging foreign investment.

Foreign investment is fine, always providing, it no longer includes foreign control! Along with the accompanying tax avoidance and profit repatriation!

We could be buried under a veritable mountain of foreign investment with the right paradigm! i.e., thirty year self terminating government guaranteed self terminating bonds, and where modest returns could be offset by a tax free status.

Moreover, we'd be no worse off in any way, given none of this money is earning tax or income for our economy, just, anywhere else but here.

Investment money and income earning assetts to support it, is key, along with vision and the courage essential to usher it all in.

Where for starters, peaceful nuclear energy (molten salt thorium) must be on the rationalist's table, as an absolute, along with a completely and profoundly resuscitated manufacturing sector that would enable.

Followed by new reliable income earning water projects that effectively drought proof our food production capacity.

That would be a good start, with more to follow, including complete income earning energy independence, which would then underpin a twentieth century, metals smelting/heavy industry/cooperative enterprise.

And given an inclusive paradigm, supported by an enduring social compact and the return of our economic sovereignty. Then and only then, the only way left is up! And none of it available to a nation led by dummies obsessing soley over power and privilege! And engaged in endless time wasting blame shifting/completely smart smug useless oneupmanship!

Something they do exceptionally well in the hugely impoverished Philippines!
Alan B.

Loudmouth,
You are making the mistake of thinking a policy suggestion right through to all its possible manifestations.
If you were a good socialist you would just jump to the first populist conclusion apparent today and forget about tomorrow.
If there are problems then, you can always think of reasons why the capitalist religious complex is at fault.

The answer is simple.

Its the idea of giving welfare out in the form of a job instead of in the form of money.
- Double Dole for Full-time work. -
Everyone can take part, including the presently employed who want more hours.
Remove the "I can't get a job" excuse.
Create a culture of employment within the ranks of the unemployed.

Modern Technology can help us achieve it.

Hi Edward,

Thanks for that straw man :)

Sorry, it's been a long time since I was a good socialist :( If I understand your rather convoluted post, you are associating socialism with populism, and in this case you may be right. What sounds easy and worthy can easily be shown to be rubbish, a con. How would UBI be paid for ? Oh of course, tax the top end of town, that should do it: so one populist problem can be solved by another one. Clever.

After a few short years living in an Aboriginal community, I quickly came to the conclusion that there were indeed lifters (most of the men there) and leaners (a handful). It was clear that in any Utopian society where everything was shared, the one thing that wouldn't be was effort: there (it seemed) would always be bludgers, and workers. Maybe anybody who has ever lived in a commune could comment.

Under socialism, say in Russia or China, the pathway for bludgers was through the party: go to meetings, denounce the right classes of people and up you go through the hierarchy. Meanwhile, the genuine workers are out there on the factory floor or in the fields, exhorting their fellow-workers to support the Great Teacher and Leader - and probably being 'extracted' for the slightest criticism of the bludgers.

Well, we've had a combined many hundreds of years of 'real socialism' now, and how did any of it go ? In China, towards capitalism with a vengeance; in Cuba, towards back-to-the-cave; in Russia, towards grinding incompetence; in Cambodia, directly to fascism, do not pass go, do not collect $ 200. Do all Utopias degenerate into fascism ?

All able-bodied people should be working, or training for genuine work. In one of his few honest moments, even Lenin suggested that 'He who does not work, neither shall he eat.' Sounds fair enough. And for that, people may need to democratically organise themselves, but rarely would they need some elite to do the 'thinking' for them while everybody else does the hack-work.

Cheers,

Joe

Could it be that academics are embarrassed at how much they are paid for doing so little, so want the handout extended to all? Nah, of course not, they actually think they are special, & worth what they are paid.

Could it be that so many of them are mathematically challenged, they have no idea of the costs of their ideas? Well of course in these days of "HUNMANITIES" getting most of the budget, it's all pie in the sky stuff.

Could it be that from their ivory towers they have no idea of real life down on the ground? Obviously when they can float pixy dust daydreams like this one.

Then penalty rates! Why should anyone get the same pay for 20 hours as someone else gets for 40? It is just not reasonable.

If you chose to work in a 7 day a week industry, all days are, & should be the same. In the Whitsunday's tourist industry most were working 50 to 70 hours a week for a little less than the award for a week. Many of us averaged a couple of days off a month, & loved it.

I made a mistake once, [yes I know]. I organised the next day off, so I could go to Mackay to buy some shoes, not available locally. I was amused to find Mackay shut because it was Sunday. I had not thought of it, as every day was the same in Airlie Beach.

Now everything is open every day, there is no longer any reason or need for penalty rates. Time they were buried along with the ark