I think I can see where the author is coming from: it really is heartbreaking to have to deal in areas where one is exposed to the indescribable horror or unsavoury aspects of some people's lives. I'm also pretty sure that most of us at some time or other have heard it said of some person or other "They don't deserve to have children".

To implement the policies called for, however, would cause a near-revolt in society, huge public expenditure and would polarise families and certains groups of people.

Given that something completely radical and involving spending from the public purse needs to be done to turn current situations around though, wouldn't a mandatory course in parenting and baby-care in all schools - public and private - be a less drastic step?

I once attended a private school where such a course existed in Year Nine. It wasn't a very good school academically and I left after that year. I later heard that several girls got pregnant and left: - they were all kids who had hated school, mucked around and, it was rumoured, got pregnant on purpose.

But I remembered how they had behaved in those mandatory classes that I, personally, had thought were premature. Years later I heard that several of the children of these girls went on to University and did great things.

I'm almost sure that skills and responsibilities learnt in those "Baby Classes" bore fruit.

Many people don't mean to be bad parents, many others, as the author pointed out, have no idea how to be parents at all. Mandatory education not just into rights and responsibilies but practicalities of routine, hygiene, infant and child nutrition could, potentially, help thousands of people.

The issue is how to enforce this policy

Excellent article Brian,

You've identified one of the most dreadful,damaging and hidden areas of our society. White man is all too ready to scream about indigenous abuse but the same in the rest of the community? Silence.

The whole drive of society is the problem. This drive for full employment, forcing mothers to work or lose benefits whilst importing labour is aimed at one thing. Having children raised by strangers.

That first 5 years is critical to developing a healthy, independent member of society. Yes many parents impose behaviours on young children they'd prefer not to pass on but they got it from their parents and so on. Same as sexual abuse. The abused become the abusers often. But direct parental upbringing, Mum or Dad is proven to provide the most stable children, long term. On average of course.

Certainly can the baby bonus. Paid maternity leave is a far better and civilized approach as it is directed at weekly cost, not a huge party.

The amount of money we are spending on looking after other people's children is an embarrassment to us as a nation. We encourage it, foster it and panic when the companies like ABC go broke. As if it's the taxpayer's problem.

I'm not big on sterilisation of course but voluntarily it's fine. I suspect the author threw that in to stir you all up and it worked.

It's back to basics. Parents must pay for their child. If they can't afford it, they don't have the child or someone who will look after it does take full time care.

No cash incentives. Sex is a big enough incentive on it's own. Government funding must be correctly directed. This latest overdue bonus for pensioners etc throws up some ridiculous situations. Those who qualify for Family Tax, not sure which bit, get $1000 for each child. Except it's only the mother that gets that. There was one case where the father had 9 kids he was caring for and she was living elsewhere. She got the $9000.

Think of what will work, not the opposite.

Brian Holden talks about 'the silent majority'. This is the phrase used by the arrogant who want to believe they speak for others, when, in fact, they are only speaking for themselves and want to try and give their opinions some credibility. The use of this phrase is a fairly desperate and presumptive action.

Seems to me that there's a huge cart that's just been dropped in front of a horse.

Firstly, unless you're willing to calm down on the whole abortion issue and make them easier to obtain, then how can you possibly consider mass-sterilisation?

(And FTR, even if abortions laws are relaxed, I'm still opposed to mass sterilisation. Eugenics is never an acceptable practice. On the abortion issue, at least that would mean that parents who don't want children don't end up having them).

Brian, you have had your innings in life and from reading some of your essays, you do not appear to have learnt anything about the diversity of life.

This is not your world, it belongs to each and every person on it, and how people live their lives is their business only, not yours.

So why not just look after the roses, and let life move on as is natural.