No Saltpetre, I agree lots of jobs have gone either overseas or to
automation and earth moving machinery.

Manufacturing went overseas also, but the good news is that it is
starting to trickle back. This is the crux of what I have been trying
to jam into everyones' head; globalisation is ending and everything
will become local.
Globalisation is ending, for two reasons, higher wages in Asia with
higher energy costs everywhere. The poor state of the world economy is
a direct result of a five times increase in energy costs in 10 years.

If you have noticed the economists are arguing about whether to pump
money into the economy or to cut expenditure dramatically.
They are having that argument because only a handful of economists
understand that growth and production of everything depends on energy not money !

Saltpetre, just reread your post.

I and some workmates were working with a Dutch engineer on a project
and in a conversation we remarked that Australians did not like work
and would prefer the beach.
Oh no he said, Australians are very hard workers, how else could you
have built a country like this in under 200 years !

I have always remembered that when I hear that sort of criticism.

More than half a million young people may require some form of emergency assistance in the next four years because of the budget's planned changes to unemployment benefits.

The Department of Social Services has told a parliamentary committee the budget includes almost $230 million to help people with food, utility bills and other essential services.

The Greens say it proves the Government knows it will force more young people into destitution by making them wait up to six months before getting the dole if they are not in accredited training.

The move, one of the most controversial in the budget, is being badged by the Government as an "earn or learn" initiative. It is assuming there will be a 30 per cent increase in applications for student support.

But social service groups are worried it will force more vulnerable people into poverty.

Serena Wilson from the Department of Social Services has told a Senate Estimates hearing the Government is budgeting for an increase in emergency relief.

"[There is] $229.6 million over four years and the purpose of that funding is to provide assistance to people who need assistance with food, utility bills, those sorts of things.

"So it's about essential, essential needs and we've estimated that around 550,000 job seekers would access that assistance."

Chrisgaff1000 – on the contrary, “Atlas Shrugged” is a story where the parasite controls production. It is a classic example of human taker farming human makers. The main characters like Rinehart, Pratt, Packer, Glasenburg, Forrest and Lowy personally produce nothing. They are parasites that receive a disproportionate share of this country’s (and global) wealth.

This is not to say they don’t spend a lot of their time taking this wealth or employing other parasites to take it on their behalf. This is to say there are a lot of makers that spend their time, making the wealth that these parasites take, that deserve a greater proportional share.

The problems that afflict this country are not made by the so called dole bludger; it is a consequence of to many parasites taking a disproportionate share of the productive wealth.

Rewarding parasites disproportionately results in inflation, higher cost and lower productivity.

579 I should damn well hope that those receiving the dole are living in poverty.

Unemployment benefits as you seem to fail to understand, are not meant to be an alternate way of living. They are meant to tide someone over while they look for a job to support their lifestyle.

This is the problem today. Too many see bludging on the taxpayer as an acceptable way of life, & far too many bleeding hearts want the level of support increased so it is a lifestyle.

I personally would like to see the dole at 50% higher initially, reducing weekly to 50% less after 6 or 12 months. This would help short term unemployed to avoid losing everything by failing to meet mortgage & hire purchase loans, but would make finding a job more pressing, just as it should be.

Producer you have that all ass up.

If it weren't for the Rineharts of this world, who could live graciously on their wealth, but go out & risk it all developing new projects, there would be no $200,000 a year jobs for truck drivers, or the tax money to pay the genuine unemployed, or the bludger.

It is such a pity that so many don't know how to say thanks, or add 2+2, & come up with an answer other than not enough.

Hasbeen – Sorry it is you who has it the wrong way. Let focus on Gina:

What did Gina PERSONALLY produce, make, and construct to have control the productive wealth she controls?

As a proportion of wealth she has taken and controls she pays only a very small percentage of that wealth in tax, unlike the heavily taxed workers who make the wealth she takes. She is the one that bludges on the producers and tax payers of this country as well as others on the planet.

Last time I looked she didn’t even have a productive working mine.

As for $200,000 a year truck drivers, I believe she intends to use remote control trucks = No drivers. That’s very gracious of her isn’t it Hasbeen?

Hasbeen you should stop breathing methane, remove your head from that dark place and consider the possibility you, like me get it wrong somtimes!