Hi Cossomby,
It's been a while since I mentioned this idea, but I really think its the only way forward.
You say its been tried before and doest work, well 2 things, one we haven't tried hard enough to make it work and two, it has to work, or the country will end up ruined economically anyway.

Regards physically and mentally incapable: good point.
Make the program completely optional, to resolve the issue of giving them a choice instead of forcing them to do something.
Issue solved, I can't create a culture of employment within the ranks of the unemployed if I force them, I have to let them choose it for themselves (but make them an offer so good they can't refuse)

Jobs: tree planting isn't gonna cut it.
You're going to need to create real jobs, hundreds of thousands of them and make them accessible, and thats why we need a big national project, and I'd suggest it be based around infrastructure.
Plenty of jobs and plenty of training.

I'll bring in 'training credits' as a sister to 'working credits'

I'd start with works regarding land clearing for furture infrastructure and factories to start building portable housing units, that can be used in an employment sense, but also rented out or onsold to individuals.
So I'd like to create a real energy efficient portable dwelling.
These workers might end up working on a production line for larger removeable homes (fixing our housing problem) at a later date to be transported easily using the infrastructure being built.

Well build the Aussie version Of the Chinese One Road project, with a super port in Cairns and connecting all capital cities with a new HSR and road network, incorporating power, water, internet as well as push ahead with sun farms and Alan B's thorium ideas.

If we can't lower wages in this country to be competitive, we need to lower the costs of energy and transport, and we need a system that better utilises the unemployed, who do want to work.

Living on $600 a fortnight, yes it can be done, and I've done it.
Been times in my life when I had plenty and other times where I had little.
You can probably do it on $500 a f/n but I can't emphasise enough the importance of rent costs, and ability to share with others.

Say you have 3 mates and you rent a near new 4br home at $500 a week, rent is $125 each, on the other end of the scale it might be 2 people sharing a 2 beddy for $380 week, costing $190 each, so this will have a larger effect on money remaining.
But lets say, you only got $500 f/n and you paid $380 a f/n rent.
Bare bones stuff. $60 week left over.
You can eat cheap if you're smart, shop the specials and only buy necessities.
A kilo in cheap mince is $7 kilo chicken breast about $8, 1.7 kg sausages about $8, Rich beefy mince, butter chicken etc you'll get 3 or 4 meals for an $8 dish, weetbix, cheap milk and bread, $29 mobile phone with cheap internet from say kogan, maybe a cheap 7inch tablet... you could make do and survive until you found work.

And you would, if you had to, but why bother when you could stay in the city for free play the victim and scab $100 a day off rich people who want to make themselves feel better by giving to people beneath them?

Dear Armchair Critic,

Brilliant ideas. If only we had the leadership
to implement them.

A greater effort should be made to ensure those that can work, do work. There are certainly a significant number of people wroughting the social welfare system, and that should be stopped wherever possible. On the question of homeless people, there are many whose lives are in such a crises state that they are unemployable. Some are totally gone mentally, and there is no way back for them. Others have issues where they are in a situation they need to get out of, which once addressed would see them return to some semblance of normality, and then they could become useful members of society.

The danger is politicians often take the one size fits all approach, and given their political philosophy try to use the big stick to achieve a desired outcome. That approach does little more than create havoc and hardship for the many.

Just on the job creation programs, the couple I have experienced, not being directly involved, seemed to be a farce. One was young people painting a graffitied toilet block. The kids spent most of their time on their mobile phones, and the person in charge didn't want them to go too fast as she had no more work for them, and she knew nothing about painting anyway. The more useful was the bloke sent to the Salvo Shop, spent his time out the back sorting old cloths and having a chat, and a coffee, with the volunteer ladies.

Dear Paul,

I've just come across the following link that's
worth a read. It shows what is currently working
regarding homelessness:

http://www.smh.com.au/comment/how-to-fix-homelessness-give-the-homeless-a-home-20150730-ginpeo.html

cont'd ...

Dear Paul,

According to an article in The Age -

"Research shows that there are over 55,000 properties
that have been lying idle for extended periods. Why not
tax those vacant properties in order to create a home
for someone who really needs it? Like women fleeing
violent homes who may have missed out on housing support
because there wasn't enough supply to meet the demand."

According to The Age, "Such a scheme is already under way
in Britain, where councils have the authority to charge a
50% premium for any property that has been unoccupied
for 2 years or more (provided the house does not belong to
someone in hospital or prison, or compulsory acquired and
set to be demolished)."

The Age tells us that "If adopted here, a vacancy tax would
encourage property owners to either release housing to the
market, or make a financial contribution. The revenue generated
through the levy - about $79 million a year, according to
modelling by Launch Housing - could be used to fund affordable
homes for thousands of women and their children trying to escape
violence and poverty."

The article has other good suggestions such as - better
co-ordination of services for the homeless situation and
of course covers prevention as well. There's more in the
following link:

http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/homelessness-what-are-the-solutions-to-the-crisis-on-our-streets-20160723-ggc8mu.html