29th October
The Australian
UNEMPLOYED Aborigines in remote communities will be forced into work for the dole five days a week, with tough new sanctions for failing to participate, under changes that have in-principle cabinet agreement.
Under the new policy, unemployed people with full work capacity would be forced into 25 hours of “work-like” dole activities spread over the week. Sources said there would not be any activities that allowed people to spend their time “painting rocks”. Instead the activities would replicate real work to ensure unemployed Aborigines were “work ready”.
The scheme will force all remote Aborigines into work for the dole but there will be people who will be allowed to do less than 25 hours a week based on their “assessed capacity”, which will acknowledge that some people who are on the general unemployment benefit, Newstart Allowance, are parents or disabled.
Sources said the joint cabinet submission by Employment Minister Eric Abetz, Social Services Minister Kevin Andrews and Indigenous Affairs Minister Nigel Scullion greatly increased the sanctions placed on unemployed Aborigines in remote areas who failed to meet their new mutual obligations.
The larger package, including new spending to pay for the massively expanded scheme, must still go back to cabinet for final endorsement.
The Australian has previously foreshadowed that the Abbott government was looking at overhauling Labor’s remote jobs scheme.
Unlike the now downscaled CDEP scheme, under which unemployed indigenous people did work-for-the-dole activities and were paid “top-up wages”, the new scheme will not provide them any extra money for the full-time workload.
Work for the dole is not currently an element of the Remote Jobs and Communities Program, which operates in 60 communities. Jobseekers can be engaged in structured activities that are similar in nature to work for the dole for the amount of time needed to meet their mutual-obligation requirements. The scheme is loose and does not force most people into activities every day.
The Coalition has concluded that the $1.5 billion nationwide scheme has been failing to engage Aborigines in work.
The $120 million already spent equates to about $433,000 per successful job placement of six months or more.
The data reveals that only 30 per cent of the 37,000 unemployed Aborigines registered with the scheme were engaged in work for the dole and similar structured mutual-obligation activities.
Under the RJCP, which was introduced by the previous Labor government, a single provider in each region is contracted to work with individuals, communities and local employers to help more people into jobs and build stronger communities.
The program was designed to provide a more integrated and flexible approach to employment and participation services for people living in remote areas. It began in July last year with five-year contracts.
Under the changes considered by cabinet, these job agencies will be forced to roll out a huge work-for-the-dole program for the unemployed people they manage.
The changes will be made separately to consideration of Andrew Forrest’s broader welfare review, but the recommendations from his report will inform the thinking behind the changes.
The Forrest review called for many substantial changes, including the introduction of a national “healthy welfare” card that would prevent spending on alcohol and gambling, a significant reduction in the number of income-support payments, and bans on young people accessing welfare unless they are training or in work.
The mainstream work-for-the-dole scheme will also be reformed, under plans already announced. Extending work for the dole and the creation of new wage subsidies for the long-term unemployed will be a key part of the proposed system.
Almost $900m will be spent on extending the work-for-the-dole scheme over three years from next July. Jobseekers aged 30-49 will be required to do 15 hours’ work a week, while people aged 50-60 will be asked to do 15 voluntary hours a week of an approved activity.
Work for the dole will be mandatory for all jobseekers younger than 50 unless they are working part-time or, in limited cases, undertaking training for a specific job that is in demand in their local area.
Elderly, or disabled Australians, with serious health issues on level 8 pharmacy drugs (morphine) can’t use public transport, can’t drive or operate machinery of any kind legally & for safety reasons, & can only walk short distances, but throw in distances like regional Australia live with, would turn 15hrs into 20 -30hrs with travel or longer, but how would they get there & back, with out protection incase of injury or death, who is responsible for this endangerment to them & public.
What about mental disabilities like dementia, senile, suicidal, auxieties, phyciatric disorders other mental health issues or physical disabilities parkinsons, nerve disorderers, downs syndrome, brain injury, paralysis, heart conditions, stroke, balance problems, cerebal palsy, on various pharmacy medications, cronic pain issues, arthritis, blood conditions, aids, surgery waiting, medical specialists, surgery mistakes, etc, some life threatening!
What about single parents responsible for picking up their children, disabled or sick children.
Remembering medical certificates are refused, or medical evidence disallowed by pen pushers & people removed from DSP or don’t qualify, may have multitudes of issues not just single health problems but could have 5 or more ongoing medical issues, undiagnosed issues, misdiagnosis, & mobility problems, isolation, mental health all together on a long list of drugs that could kill another person without these issues, will there be medical supervision on hand & drug containment. Or nurses on staff & special carers available at all times because many people fall through the canyons in the current system & without sickness benefits end up on newstart because they have been refused from or removed from DSP don’t fit else where. They don’t just disappear because they don’t fit into near boxes, is euthanasia the next step in Abbots plan for older Australians with health, mental or physical problems (Weather their black or white doesn’t come into it) but physical or mental isolation may be serious when mixed above issues or does nobody care!
Not only have we invaded your country, wiped out most of your population, and taken all of the good land for ourselves, we now want to assimilate those who are left into our slave mentality culture by financial bullying. What an advanced, enlightened race we are!