Putting aside the relative sloppiness of the handling of the carers allowance issue, it should be a wake up call to the disability sector to lift its advocacy game.

For too long, the sector has been riven by factionalism and too much time, effort and goodwill wasted over endless and divisive internicine debates over matters such as institutionalisation. The elevation of mental health on the public agenda over recent years may serve as a template to the disability sector to get their act together, get strategic and shape an agenda, rather than just scream when government makes inevitable policy and administrative blunders.

Pensions ??

According to Political correspondent, come diplomat Laurie Oakes - the past week with all it's mindless kafuffle was deliberately choreographed by a few " chaser " Parliamentary journalist who - bored with the Daily sittings, decided to raise heckles, create bedlam and put some life into an otherwise ennui proceedings by a thoroughly discredited beatup of " carer's pensions, bonus's & other welfare benefits ". A Canberra insider for yonks, Oakes readily admits it was all a whimsical hoax, even though it ran the media gamut for eight whole days, Nationwide !

As if it really mattered to Tracey Grimshaw or enigmatic Anna Coran who dragged in all those bleeding hearts with their pitiful stories of woe and despair, into the studio glare and limelight ! All told, the fiasco succeeded.

New boy on the block Kevin Rudd, to his credit deftly handled the media scuffle despite the rapturous baying of effeminate comedian's extraordinary Abbot and Turnbull. It's about time they lifted their game and gave viewers less-of-the-same.

Parliament is blissfully descending into a chaotic fish market. What a sorry spectacle Mr Hocking !

Given the plight of Carer's and their wards, mealy-mouth Govt handouts don't provide real sustenance let alone basic comforts afforded other welfare recipients.

Parliamentarian's have never beeen noted for their largess except for the Remuneration Tribunal Inquiries ! Short term, the much mooted razor - the slasher gang, for all it's vitrilic is but a toothless harridan.

Careful now, read my lips.

I read the article by Laurie Oaks and it perfectly sums up the experience I have had with the media. The truth is usually as dull as dishwater and needs to be livened up a bit in order to sell news otherwise people would take no notice.

I'll bet that the big media corporations have multi-million dollar retainers to keep some of Australia's best lawyers handy at all times. Of course, the normal method is not to actaully tell outright lies - just to leave out facts that are vital to understanding the whole story.

Whether in government or in Opposition, the Coalition (and their lackeys in the media) know only one way to "do" it. The politics of fear, lies and mud-throwing. And the use of the weak to score political points. It is the way the rich man's party does things.

Mr Rudd is a good guy, an opinion that is shared by all those who voted in his government.
The media, while not necessarily being the bad guys, always put spin on the sensational perspective of anything.
In my opinion the carers BONUS needs to be tightened up (means tested) so that recipients such as ex-prime ministers do not get it!
Pensioners that have contributed through taxes, voluntary work, community work or any other form of contribution to the country could be rewarded with the BONUS. I imagine that many readers will see this as blatant discrimination. So be it...a line needs to be drawn to prevent ineligible people from receiving a BONUS!
Was this so-called bonus ever going to be an additional ongoing payment?
Now, how about people with disabilities? Not all people with disabilities have a carer and many of them contribute in a number of ways to society. What happened to them in the scheme of this BONUS? Not one cent went to them! Why don't these people deserve the same recompense as the carers and the aged?
Next, the matter of the Dental Services under Medicare for people with chronic and complex conditions - an initiative introduced by the Howard government towards the end of 2007 (yes just last year and shortly before the election) - voted against by the opposition (Rudd) government, and now to be scrapped in June. The Howard government in the 2007 budget made a commitment to provide funding of $377.6 million dollars and the funding would have been ongoing. I bet London to a brick not many of you even new about this incentive or the impending demise of it...not made public in the media...not sensational enough perhaps.
Where to from here Mr Rudd?

The carer bonus facts for those interested enough are: They were paid by the Howard government for the past 4 years, rather extended election pork barrel wasn't it? Only 100,000 Carer Payment recipients received the $1000 bonus. Just 400,000 Carer Allowance recipients got $600. The aged pensioners only received their bonus in the last year (perhaps vote buying?). So why did they not buy the votes of the 712,000 disability pensioners as well? Or the 2.6 million caring families?

I wonder if the questioners 'on the virtue of paying wealthy aged persons a bonus'stopped to think that the aged pension is 'means tested' and I'd like therefore to see the politicians poor enough to get a pension, carer payment et al, much less a political commentators dad, come on folks, you can do better than that!

Middle Class welfare is everywhere,from 30% private health insurance rebates, to 50% child care rebates for working families, to tax breaks for the wealthy and well off through negative gearing etc, etc etc...

Read my lips: Unpaid family caregivers contribute over $36Billion a year to the economy. They have a right to expect a better deal. A wage for work performed would be a good start. In the absence of any public demands for such justice, any bonus is a veritable 'pot of gold' to those of us who are treated the same as slave labour.

Those who think disability advocates are standing in our corner should know that their views and the views of caring families are poles apart. Family advocacy for disability caring families is non existent.... just another discrimination against those who give most.

How about making fair carer 'pay' and 'disability family advocacy funding' the priority of your 2020 submission and give Mr Rudd the message that family caring matters to every Auatralian. Iy does you know! If we quit taxpayers pay for residential care. There but for the grace of God go you and you and you!