individual,
Trying to make us a user pays society is not the solution; it's the biggest cause of the problem!

Aidan,
You're challenging my mentality on that one. How should things be paid for other than by those who use ??
Don't you think people should pay for what they demand ?
Going by what you're saying, I want a new Mac Book Pro & I should expect you to buy it for me ?
Please explain !

individual,
> You're challenging my mentality on that one.
Good!

> How should things be paid for other than by those who use ??
By the government.

> Don't you think people should pay for what they demand ?
Not always. Sometimes it's better to make things freely accessible to all. A high standard of living shouldn't be restricted to those who are rich.

>Going by what you're saying, I want a new Mac Book Pro & I should expect you to buy it for me ?
Buy it yourself! I don't think there's much call for government intervention in the provision of non essential goods.

Aidan,
Do you by any chance work in ATO or Centrelink ?

individual,
No I don't, and I certainly wouldn't want to.
Those organisations are difficult to deal with, and the government has made it harder still - neither is contactable by email, even though the government's closed down all ATO's offices in my state.

Aidan,
We need to look at where funding is wasted rather than where it it spent. Money well spent is good for the Nation's prosperity, money wasted is only good for a handful !
Governments or rather many bureaucrats, are notorious in the flippancy with public funding.
You say a high standard of living shouldn't be restricted to those who are rich & I agree.
However, who makes the rich wealthy ? The consumers who demand more than they give, that's who !
The authorities who allow exploitation of public funding with impunity are at the forefront of corruption. The policy makers & legislators whose incompetence is fuelled only by greed are all complicit in the ineffective managing of our economy. With COVID-19 we have reached the decision-making point of either keep on going down the path of economic implosion to or re-think the situation & allow some common sense bail-up this idiocy !
We simply cannot afford the 'Growth' mentality to continue for much longer. We'll either end up economically ruined or ruin the environment & ourselves !
Discipline is the key to restoring our society to a sustainable level. Those who don't want to change should be made to live in the Middle East to get a glimpse of the future here !