Redneck

'illeterate in their own language'

It's actually 'illiterate'... and further, Australia is not importing significant numbers of immigrants who are 'illiterate' in their own language.

You're peddling falsehoods.

Billie;"20% of Australians live in Poverty."I don't believe it.I see so many small contractors/handymen etc, demanding cash these days that I doubt that the tax office even knows that they exist.Many are also on the dole or collecting the DSP or single parent benefits.The housing commission dwellings just down the road from me can afford powerboats,cars,etc and enjoy a lot of leisure time.

We have to get back to making the individual more responsible for their survival,or Labor's nanny state will destroy us socially and economically.

You don't know what you're talking about Arjay

If someone can afford a boat, they're not on welfare. I'd say that that housing commision house you're talking about is no longer a housing commision house but someone's mortgaged address.

And lots of leisure time ... come on ... not much to leisure when there's no money to enjoy this time with.

Arjay,Their will always be people that rort the system and live in govt housing when they shouldn't.In Qld the govt is now telling people on higher incomes to get out of the houses and rent privately.Of course the power boat could have been bought with a windfall of some kind.Maybe a legacy or a win on the Lotto. Then again the tenant may be actually now buying the house.The govt houses near me are being sold We will never stop some people from taking what they don't rightfully deserve.I believe the majority of people are decent and that our elderly and infirm certainly deserve to be given enough money to live a satisfactory life.Why don't we have mandatory work for the dole schemes,maybe after cleaning a few public toilets or spending hours on the side of the road picking up others detritus some of the bludgers would actually look for a job.I am aware that all on the dole are not bludgers but i would bet my right arm we still have quite a few that are.

Doesn't everybody know people who choose to live in poverty, at least as it's defined by income? I know some who do just enough work to survive as they pursue artistic dreams, and others who work in charity, and still others who just want to go surfing. Then there are those who own their house who do just enough work to get by, and who are between careers or having a bit of a break.

I reckon I would know 30-35 such people; all who would appear as part of the 11% who live in poverty as defined by income.

Govts. role is to provide equality of opportunity primarily thru education; and a safety net for those who miss out. Govt. ensuring equality of outcome is impossible and undesirable.

Posters who are so critical of the govt. should remember Paul Keatings advice- the best form of welfare is a job". The current labour and skills shortage is real. There could be an opportunity here?

Agree totally with the poster above- let's end middle-class welfare.

Bravo to the author for a perceptive and accurate article. I was a state MP in WA for 8 years to 2005 and I saw virtually no absolute poverty in my electorate during that time. I saw people who were doing it tough, of course, but the number and types of support services available to help these people was significant, so that the only true poverty was self-induced, through drug taking, gambling or other personal decisions.

At election time, and in the lead-up to each state and federal budget, the people whose income depends on government jobs crank up the same old record and state the the level of poverty in our society is rising, that more people are living in the streets than in the past, etc, etc. The reality is quite different.

At a time of low unemployment, the welfare lobby should be talking more about how its shrinking clientele can help themselves to take advantage of the economic and personal opportunities that our strong economic conditions are currently providing.