I knew, before I looked who had posted this thread.
Even said why bother reading or contributing to it.
But I must, the very reason I am a proud trade unionist, activist, ALP member activist is in my history.
As a kid around Bowral my fathers father and mother worked as servants, to people thou Australians spoke lived and acted as English upper classes.
Calling that cold country home.
Even I and for sure my dad, was expected to tip my hat or even hold it over our hearts if talking to these pretentious fools, we never did.
I earned a mans wage for a mans work from age 15, never left a job the boss did not ask me to stay at, but some work for very little.
Small country timber mills even now see homes owned by the boss extra hours even days worked without pay by workers owned by the boss, in debt to him so badly they must stay.
minimum wage is still the oil that feeds rural Australia's shops, buys the sausages in butchers shop or shops.
Workers need to eat, do not dare tell me low wages equates to laziness or low IQ remoteness lack of education or opportunity can make this the only choice.
Bosses thrive while some stagnate, a fair days pay for a fair days work is not a crime.
Some workers suffer more than others.
But to hold wages low to keep such as butcher happy or to help the economy?
fair go bloke I still ask why I bothered but I will till death demand that, fairness equity nothing less.

Romany
Now there are always the genuine ones, You must have missed this line in my post. Hey!

Belly, I thought you'd died. Welcom back!

Now there is a lot to cover here, so lets go.

Kids. Yes they are the victims, however, as long as welfare is paid in dollars and is free to be wasted, they will always suffer. Simple solution. Stop paying cash! A limmited debit card would be a starting point.

If a person on a minimum wage drinks in excess, gambles or smokes, while depriving their kids, then perhaps a tafe course, leading to a better paid job is one answer. I don't recall any courses being offered at the pub though.

History shows that many unskilled migrants, facing a language barrier as well, went on the become self made millionares, simply because they chose to better themselves and their kids.

As I said. We are all offered an opportunity to fail.

Well the 14.31 an hour is a bit misleading, the way I understand it.

That applies if its a permanent job, with all the bells and whistles,
which add another 20%, or the casual rate.

That would take it to around 17$ per hour worked, plus another
9% Super, which takes it up to $18.50 an hour worked, actually paid.

Depending on the employer, they then face payroll tax of 6%
and workers comp, depending on the industry, but commonly 6%.

So that minimum wage can cost the employer around $ 20.70 an hour,
which he has to screw back out of consumers, or go broke.

Put the family assistance payments in the schools, get rid of the private schools. Schools provide all meals if needed from before school care to after school care from pre-school through to high school.

Stop food, clothing and education for children being about what any parent has in their bank account. Farmer’s kids and home schooling the exception. Boarding schools made a good option. Holiday camps, weekend care.

Socialism for childhood, capitalism for everyone over 18.

Anyone who aspires to achieve merely the minimum wage is lacking in the necessary self respect and self reliance which produces the wealth upon which the Australian government and welfare system relies for funding.

Should the minimum wage keep people in anything approaching a state of luxury?...

Definitely not!

If you want luxuries, expect to work for them –

like the rest of us.

Rehctub wrote, " We are all provided with affordable or free education".

Master replies: Affordable, yes. Free - - - NO. There's NO SUCH THING as a free education. EVERY taxpayer has a lower take home pay because some of that tax goes to EDUCATION. When a kid starts work their taxes often go towards paying off past govt. education debt.

Rehctub wrote, " Throught the 70s, 80s and 90s it has been possible to go through your entire schooling life without gaining a decent education".

Master replies: True! It's also true that throughout the 10s, 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s and 2000s it has been possible to go through your entire schooling life without gaining a decent education. I've met, worked with, and been boss of thousands of them. The number of people who can't read, write or add up who got their education pre 60s has not been tiny.

Rehctub wrote, " Throughout this period one could leave school and go onto the dole and exist virtually at will without real fear of harrasement (sic)"

Master replies: THAT'S the stereotype "you" believe in, obviously because it suits your philosophy. Reality was VERY different for many. My 2 unemployed nephews in the 80s were PUSHED and HOUNDED by the authorities to gain qualifications and jobs or NO MONEY FOR THEM. It worked, and two quite lazy and well fed teenagers turned out to be self sufficient teenagers.

Rehctub wrote, " Children can leave home, claiming they were treated unfairly and receive special benefits in doing so".

Master replies: Gee imagine that. A girl gets raped by her father, leaves home and gets help to survive. Gee, what an ungrateful wretch that girl must be - - - her father worked his guts out down at the foundry just so he could feed her, and this is how she repays him.

Rehctub wrote, "Why should the minimum wage be any more than a mere existance (sic)?".

Master replies: The after tax minimum wage is around $482 for a full working week. Anything even NEAR that low IS a "mere existence".