Why don't we just pass a law that everyone has a right to live at the expense of everyone else? And another law abolishing any scarcity of resources? Government could be charged with the task of administering these fantasies.

A timely article, made all the more poignant by its timing. Economists say that unemployment is always 3 times the published rate because a person is "employed" if they work for one hour per week in a paid or unpaid job - so volunteer work at a registered charity is employment. Many older job seekers are being encouraged to start as volunteers then push that employment into a paid position. The charities concerned won't pay them.

Disability pensioners appear to be older unemployable men who were on Disability Pensions when the rules changes in 2006. People with genuine disabilities, like uncorrectable double vision caused by stroke, are stuck on Newstart.

The Senate blocked a bill last week to reduce punishment for breaching Newstart requirements by withholding 1 days pension instead of 6 weeks pension. How do these people live - rob a house? open prepacked salads in the supermarket?

Australia has entered an economic downturn and unemployment will rise, what will we expect the unemployed to do for their Newstart Allowance, build infrastructure like The Great Ocean Road with pick ax and shovel?