I would like to add a few points from my perspective. I have chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (incurable terminal cancer) and due to the wisdom of centrelink I am deemed to be able to work 15 hrs per week. Thus I am on a Newstart Allowance. If a job network service finds me a job I have to take it no matter what the pay and conditions are. It is also deemed reasonable that I should drive 90km to Brisbane to perform this work.

Lowering taxes does not lower the amount of tax the Govt. collects in fact the Govt. collects approx the same no matter how it lowers taxes.

The existing IR laws are flauted by employers and the news ones tip the scales to their advantage.

Unions are 1 among many organisations that opposed these laws not he main one, what about the Qld State National Party's opposition.

I worked smart all my life only to be stricken by chronic illness at 51, now I have become a dole bludger!! in the eyes of some.

Terje, You and I don't see eye to eye on many things, however I promise you an apology, when you catergoricly state that all of mankind has the right to reproduce, and reverse your earlier post that said if they can't afford children, don't have them. That is the same general policy Hiltler had, concerning the Jews, he didn't want them to reproduce, you just choose a different catergory of people, the low paid Australian worker. The theme is the same, unlike some others in this place who I agrue with, I believe you to be a reasonablt intellegent person, and sometimes find difficulty understanding how or why you arrive at the views you do. Maybe it could be that I am in touch with my femine side and love life, women, have compassion for my fellow man, believe everyone deserves to be treated with dignity and respect, and above all I believe in the old Australian way "everyone should have a fair go" sadly as stated on other themes, I get a bit carried away, when confronted with ideas I find repugnant, and I do mapologise for that much.

QUOTE: ... all of mankind has the right to reproduce, and reverse your earlier post that said if they can't afford children, don't have them.

RESPONSE: Shonga you have made a leap of logic in infering that I am denying people their rights.

I never suggested that we sterilise people or that we criminalise reproduction without a licence. I am not advocating a law, I am merely advocating a decision that I think people should choose for themselves. I think it is a compassionate position to take. If you can't afford to have kids, but you do anyway, then both you and the kids will suffer. Hence to avoid suffering on both counts it is wise to not have kids if you can't afford them.

In my view children are not an entitlement to be argued over. They are individuals humans who deserve to be treated with respect and nurtured.

I agree that it is everybodies right to produce babies that they have no capacity to nuture. However doing so seems really callous to me.

QUOTE: That is the same general policy Hiltler had, concerning the Jews, he didn't want them to reproduce, you just choose a different catergory of people, the low paid Australian worker.

RESPONSE: Hitler kill Jews in massive numbers. He forced them (at gun point) into concentration camps and then gassed them to death.

Hitler spoke German, so maybe we can characterise all Germans as being like Hitler. Hitler was against pollution, so maybe we can characterise all environmentalists as being like Hitler. Hitler was in favour of wage regulation so maybe we can characterise Kim Beazley as being like Hitler.

My point is that by comparing me to Hitler you are being ridiculuos. I have never advocated the gassing of anybody or the extermination of any group of people.

QUOTE: ... unlike some others in this place who I agrue with, I believe you to be a reasonablt intellegent person, and sometimes find difficulty understanding how or why you arrive at the views you do.

RESPONSE: A lesson on empathy then. You will have trouble understanding other people if you rush to characterise them as being like Hitler.

QUOTE: ... and love life, women, have compassion for my fellow man, believe everyone deserves to be treated with dignity and respect, and above all I believe in the old Australian way "everyone should have a fair go"

RESPONSE: Things I agree entirely with.

I don't know but perhaps you see compassion as meaing going soft on people and giving them lots of things for free. Personally, because I respect people, I am more inclined to see things like a sporting coach might. Which is that when you are tough on people and help them achieve their best you actually give them more dignity than they would have if you simply left them on the sideline.

To me extolling the idea that people who can not afford to raise kids should go ahead and have them anyway is like extolling the virtues of driving on the road with your eyes shut. Either way people are going to get hurt and washing your hands and say "I was just defending peoples rights" is a bit shallow.

I defend peoples right to do all manner of stupid things (taking illicit drugs, committing suicide, driving without a seat belt, having unprotected sex with a prostitute etc). However I don't extoll the virtues of doing so.

Freedom is a great thing, but to be truely free you must own the consequences as well as the choices. To own the latter without the former is not freedom at all.

And if people do make stupid choices in life I don't think that everybody else should be automatically obligated to bail them out.

If this means you think I am without compassion then you have a view of things that is very different to me.

The lady speaks from a public service mentality, where over staffing by a factor of 5 is normal. She comes from an atmosphere where responce times are measured in months.
I would like to see her in a small business, where, not only responce, but action is often required in minutes. In this atmosphere, most of the staff have specialised knowledge, or duties, indispensable to the hourly running of the business. The staff thrive on knowing they are important, & valued. Part time staff is just not a viable option where customer service is a must.
It is pity that so many influential positions are filled by people with this mind set.