STOP the Rabbits

I just sent this to the PUPs

Dear PUP Senators

As a fiercely independent Australian who cares about the future of this country, I wish to commend your party on it's decision not to negotiate with the Abbott Government. You are right in saying that the majority of changes proposed in the budget are an attack on the Australian way of life. They unfairly place the majority of the burden on those least able to bear it. Whatever happens, I urge you to specifically block the Medicare Co-Payment, changes to Newstart Allowance, the gold plated PPL scheme, and changes to pension indexation. On the more positive side, I would urge you to consider the following measures:

1.     Do whatever it takes to close all tax loopholes exploited by multinationals and wealthy Australians - specifically, but not limited to Transfer Pricing, concessional treatment of Superannuation and Capital Gains, Family Trusts and Negative Gearing. These things are all market distortions.
2.     Do whatever it takes to compel employers to employ a fair share of long-term unemployed and people with mental and physical disabilities.
3.     Invest in services and programs with PROVEN SUCCESS at helping disadvantaged Australians improve their lives, rather than the PROVEN FAILURES we currently fund.
4.     Do whatever it takes to reduce income inequality so that ordinary Australians can afford to buy the goods and services that keep wealthy capitalists wealthy.
5.     Do whatever it takes to ensure Australian citizens have access to affordable, secure accommodation.
6.     Do whatever it takes to ensure my grandchildren have abundant energy, employment, education, health, clean air and clean water.

I know that's a lot to ask, but if Clive can build the Titanic 2, then he's at least got the gumption to give it a shot.

Sincerely,

Ken Davis

The Pollie-Wogs Tea Party

With apologies to Bratton and Kennedy

If you go out in Australia today

You'd better not go alone,

If you go out in Australia today,

Let's face it you're on your own,

You're old, you're sick,

You're unemployed,

You've got some reasons to be annoyed,

Today's the day

The PollieWogs* have their Tea Party

* PollieWog is a neologism referring to Politicians who display personality and behaviour traits consistent with Psychopathy

Deceptive Appearances

By Ken Davis

You've seen the drama. Today Tonight secretly films the woman with a back injury lifting groceries out of the car. Outraged citizens stick abusive posters under the windshield wipers of Disability Parking Permit holders who do not look disabled enough. Doctors smirk behind the backs of people who are so impolite as to not fit comfortably into a statistically defined diagnostic box. We all make judgements on limited information. It's one of the skills that allows us humans to do so well. Yet our judgements are frequently wrong. This is particularly so in the realm of work capacity – where wrong judgements can make the difference between a meagre existence and downright poverty.

Newstart Allowance was originally designed to be a SHORT TERM safety net for the newly unemployed while they go about finding a new job. It is the lowest level of Income Support in the OECD and well below any Poverty Line. Disability Support Pension (like any Pension) is designed to provide a meagre living for those unable to work full-time. Like most benefits it is means tested and decreases as someone earns income. Strangely, the Government sets the criteria for eligibility at a work capacity of 15 hours per week, however, once qualified, you can work up to 30 hours per week. I'll leave that anomaly for another time.

The major anomaly is the impairment tables which have been redesigned to make it almost impossible for some categories of applicant to attain 20 points of impairment, even if it is clear their work capacity is 15 hours per week or less. This is particularly the case for disabilities which are dynamic. A blind person's blindness is (largely) fixed. It doesn't matter what they do, their vision impairment remains the same. An amputee's amputation does not change. Paralysis is static. However much disability is more fluid. Conditions like chronic pain, Multiple Sclerosis, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and mental health disorders are less predictable.

The fact that somebody can do something once, in an assessment (or on a hidden camera) tells little about the total reality of that person's life. Yet assessors and bureaucrats frequently make life altering judgements on the basis of one-off observations. They ignore a holistic assessment of a person's realistic work capacity. Worse still, the Social Security Act makes no allowance for job market conditions. If you can work 15 hours per week in a mythical job, it doesn't matter that that job doesn't actually exist. It doesn't matter that you have no hope of obtaining it above the other 100 able bodied applicants who need no special provisions. It doesn't matter that you would need to somehow move across the country away from your established medical and social supports. So even if you have this magical 15 hours per week of “full-time” work capacity – you are condemned to a life of Newstart poverty. Despite two Governments worth of disability bashing brutality and “dignity of work” rhetoric – nothing has changed. People with disabilities are still no more likely to obtain work, but far more likely to be living in Poverty.

In my case, I have chronic fatigue syndrome. It has been around for 20+ years and it's not getting any better (although I manage it much better now). If you followed me round with a camera (and edited the footage), or stalked my Facebook, you would know that I go surfing, mow the lawn, and walk around the shops in addition to my 15 (actually in reality its about 12) hours per week of work. I would be the perfect Today Tonight Disability Bludger Stooge (despite the fact I am actually working to my capacity).

But what's the reality? My “Surfing” is actually 15-60 minutes in the water, of which most is floating, interspersed with short bursts of anaerobic activity (the most suitable activity for many people with CFS). It's on a bodyboard in small surf conditions of 1-3 foot. I'm not riding giants at Nazare! I do it a few times a week (sometimes with long breaks between). I mow the lawn in 3 lots of 5 minutes (with 15-30 minute rest breaks in between). I shop, but it doesn't get put away until the next day. I balance my activity carefully, but need a lot of rest to recover between activities. A five hour work day leaves me exhausted and frequently unable to manage any after work social or domestic activities. My social, church and community activities are reduced by 50-75%. People (and spy cameras) only see me when I'm functioning.

Occasionally I have increased my work hours, and when I do, my symptoms are much worse and every other areas of life goes on the back burner. So I'm pretty confident this 12 or so hours per week is about as good as it gets. Now I could possibly get a few more, provided someone mows my lawns, does my shopping and I abandon a healthy lifestyle. I wonder if that is what the Government wants.

People with Disabilities are entitled to leisure and exercise as well as work. They are entitled to expend some of their limited capacity on self-care, which includes lifting groceries (even if you have a dodgy back). It includes walking the dog, going for a swim, doing the shopping – even if the exercise of those rights reduces the capacity available for paid employment. However these rights are currently under assault, even for the able-bodied – all in the name of productivity.

Even so, the reality of one hour of shopping is vastly different to 15 hours of work. While shopping you can sit and take a break. You can vary your posture. Just because you can do it for one hour doesn't mean you can do it for 15. If you put a litre of fuel in your car, you can drive quite happily for 10-20 km. The fact you can drive that distance in no way means you can drive 30km on one litre. You will stop and you will need to refuel. The problem for many people with disabilities is that they need to stop to refuel more often. They get less mileage per tank. It takes them longer to refill the tank. It is natural, logical and human to make the assumption that all is well because you can see the car driving – even if it wobbles a little. It is also dangerously WRONG.

Assessors and bureaucrats frequently make false assumptions about realistic work capacity and in doing so cause great harm to people with dynamic and invisible disabilities. Sadly what I have seen happen in my work as a mental health counsellor is that the Newstart Disabled develop depression, anxiety or PTSD due to their interactions with an abusive system. Then after several years of worsening disability they do qualify. The other thing I have seen is that if you take the pressure off people so they no longer have to “fight the system” - many of them begin to recover. They ask, “What now” - and in doing so, voluntarily choose a suitable level of re-engagement with the community, sometimes even paid employment.

A much better way would be to remove the perverse incentive to prove incapacity. Grant decent income support to all people who are not working provided they are taking reasonable action to improve their circumstances, within their realistically assessed capacity. Reasonable action may include study, engaging in treatment, community work, volunteering, writing a blog or job-seeking. However, if you want more people with disabilities to work, it will require a much more proactive approach than anything tried so far. The “free market” does not value people with disabilities because they are viewed as less efficient (i.e. it takes a bit of time, effort, creativity and sometimes money to fit them into your business model). I've talked about that here.

Now, just in case you have a disability and want to work I've included a few tips. But don't forget the standard advice – never lie in a job application:

How not to get a job with a Disability

• “Oh, by the way, my work capacity is 15 hours per week and I need to take a 15 minute break every hour. Is that a problem?”
• Tell the truth in an interview or application form that asks, “Do you have any medical conditions that MAY affect your ability to perform this job?”
• “Do you have somewhere quiet where I can lay down if I need to?”
• “Emotional dysregulation is part of my medical condition – I can usually manage it OK, but sometimes I need to take time out to avoid losing my cool. Is that a problem?”
• “No, I can't work Tuesday-Thursday. Is Monday, Wednesday, Friday OK?”

Here's to the dignity of work!

A new National Anthem

In light of recent changes to the way Australia operates, which I can't comment on for operational reasons, I humbly submit a new ASIO approved National Anthem

Australians all let us rejoice

Though we are not so free

Our phones are girt by ASIO

We have no privacy

Our land abounds in natures gifts

Of beauty rich and rare

Sold off for bribes and favours to

Those poor old billionaires

In strainful joy then let us sing

Australia so unfair

Beneath our radiant Southern Cross

We’ll toil with heart and hands

To pay for planes and wedding trips

For pollie sycophants

To those who come across the seas

You’re just not welcome here

Go back to whence from where you came

Australia so unfair

In strainful joy then let us sing

Australia so unfair

We'll all be rooned - with apologies to PJ Hartigan

"We'll all be rooned", said Hockey Joe in accent so depressed
Outside the church with Phoney Tone and all the Murdoch Press
The Sunrise team stood all about and stoked the battler fears
And talked of mortgage rates and stress as they had done for years
"Its looking crook" said Chrissy Pyne, "This Government's a mess"
Ignoring all the good results, and spinning pure BS

"Its mighty hot" said Greg Combet, "Enough to melt the wax"
"It would be worse" said Penny Wong, "Without the Carbon Tax"
"This Climate Change is fully crap, there isn't any doubt"
"We'll all be rooned" said Hockey Joe, "Before the year is out"
The bankers all are crying out, "These times are pretty tough"
"Our profits risen 10 percent, it's nowhere near enough"

Poor Gina's dug another hole, for profits most obscene
While battlers all scratched their heads and watched the TV screen
"There won't be cuts, this budget year, because of Labor debt"
Said Barnaby from far St George, dressed up in flannelette
"We need some cuts, we need them now", said Andrew Robb, MP
"We'll all be rooned" said Hockey Joe, "Forget the GFC"

Then silence struck the thronging mob with one almighty jolt
While each one stopped to take a pause, except for Andrew Bolt
"Lets axe the tax, make Gonski gone, no disability"
"We'll privatise the SBS, we'll sell the ABC"
"It's not enough", said Phoney Tone, "We've got to stop the boats"
"We'll all be rooned" said Hockey Joe, "Before Australia votes"

In God's good time, elections came, the leadership was swapped
The world recovered from the mess, the dollar finally dropped
And exports all began to flow, like they had done before
While balance sheets across the land were looking good, once more
Taxation dollars flooded in till Canberra's hopes were buoyed
And every heart cried out for joy, except the unemployed

But imports cost a whole lot more, the battlers felt the squeeze,
No cheap computers, clothes and cars, or LCD TV's
While loud complaint was overheard in every coffee shop
"We'll all be rooned" said Hockey Joe, "If this damn boom don't stop"
In God's good time the boom did end and Hockey Joe was gone
Australia settled down again, to face a brand new dawn

And oh the smiles on every face, across this fairest land
Another generation lost to this, the everlasting scam
It doesn't matter who's in power, this world will run its course
Our masters serve a higher class, we just choose bad or worse
While fading barons manufacture crises, fear and doubt
"We'll all be rooned" said someone new, "Before this year is out"

Gina and the ATM – a cautionary tale

by Ken Davis

Poor Gina recently claimed the Australian Government was treating the mining sector like an ATM. She urged the resource sector to “stand up for itself”. Now initially I joined my more left leaning friends in condemning Gina. With others I accused her of using Australia's resources as her personal ATM.

Well Gina – I am sorry. I was wrong. You were r-r-r-r-right – in so many ways. More right than Andrew Bolt.

The Australian Government DOES use the resource sector as an ATM. The thing about ATM's is – you can only use them to withdraw what is yours. The resources of Australia belong to all Australians. The Government's job is to use those resources wisely and ensure that present and future Australians get a fair price for them. The problem for the government is that when it goes to the ATM to get some money for worthy causes, it finds they have been vandalised, or the money stolen. They find a gang of bleating, unwashed protesters screaming, “Mine, mine, mine” blocking their access. They find an army of reporters and advertising gurus armed with sharp pens threatening to undermine their government. Undermining is something they all do well.

Rather than standing on their own feet, the resource industry suckles at the welfare teat with overly generous benefits that are weighing down the country. Things like the accelerated depreciation and excessive research and development concessions. Or the diesel fuel rebate – which costs about $3.5 billion per year.

I am not ungrateful for the resource sector. My house has aluminium windows. My car is made of steel. My computer has all sorts of exotic minerals that make it work, most of the time. But having produced two children and been to a playgroup, I know something about infant behaviour. So when I see a noisy toddler screaming “mine, mine, mine”, I smile. I wait for the parent to step in and lecture about the reality of “things” and relationships. Advice about playing nicely. “You need to learn to share”. “People matter more than things”.

Most toddlers eventually grow out of their tantrums and learn to play nicely, but not without parental guidance and discipline. So Gina – it is time for the resource sector to grow up. It needs to stand on its own feet. Learn to walk. Stop throwing selfish temper tantrums. Play nicely, or when you grow up you won't have any friends. And step back from that ATM so the rest of Australia can get their money. There's plenty there for all of us.

An open letter to Julia re Dignity

Dear Prime Minister

I am so pleased you have rediscovered the “dignity of work”. I actually agree with you that it is important to help non-working people to work to their capacity – whatever that is. I think where we differ is on how to do that. Also, given the lack of detail and the abject failure of previous attempts at reform, I’m not convinced that your government has the knowledge or political will to do it either. So please allow me to offer you my ideas for what they are worth, as I believe I am amply qualified to offer advice in this area.

Firstly by training I am an Occupational Therapist with 25+ years experience in the workforce, so I have some knowledge, skills and experience in this area. Secondly I am a disabled person. I have had Chronic Fatigue Syndrome for 20 years and despite my best efforts along with the pathetic non-efforts of the CES, DEN and JSA – I do work. I can work 15 hours per week on a sustainable basis. Attempts to extend this have not been sustainable. Thirdly, I have done additional training and recently completed my Masters in Counselling, which involved extra hours over four years. The impact has been a substantial worsening of my physical capacity and increased pain which is only now starting to abate some nine months later. I now also have a FEE-HELP debt I will probably never be able to repay. Fourthly – for the past nine years, I have worked with the disadvantaged community. I am presently providing mental health services under the Better Access to Mental Health program. Thankfully your government reversed its foolish plan which would have seen me once more unemployed. Hopefully you can see that I know what I am talking about here.

In planning a successful “dignity of work” program, there are many things you must consider. I know you have been told these things already. I’m just asking you to exchange populist rhetoric for listening to people who know the truth, because they live it every day.

For people with disabilities – the biggest problem is the unwillingness of employers to provide suitable, quality work which matches the disabled applicant’s abilities. Just ask the Productivity Commission. Quality part-time work is almost impossible to obtain. So people with disabilities are often faced with the prospect of low paid, low quality jobs that do not utilise their skills and productive capacity because employers think that people looking for part-time work are lazy, uncommitted or that their inability to be instantly available will somehow cripple the company. If they were employed to their capacity and well remunerated some could be independent of benefits, but most will never get this opportunity because of employer prejudice.

Many disabilities, like mine, along with musculoskeletal and mental health conditions require intermittent work – that is longer or more frequent rest breaks. Again, employees seeking these things are viewed negatively as lazy. Such opportunities are extremely rare. Asking for them at interview is a recipe for rejection. Attempting to negotiate them upon success is just as risky. I had a job offer withdrawn when I asked for a rearrangement of hours. That was with a Job Network Provider – the organisations skilled in “helping us”.

Regarding the long term unemployed – you are well aware of the literacy, numeracy and mental health issues. However your government seems to have little to offer beyond the usual literacy and numeracy programs that have already failed due to the failure to diagnose and treat unrecognised learning and mental health disorders. By the time these people hit the welfare system, they often have further problems with addictions which seem to travel hand in hand with these disorders.

People with mental health conditions are frequently undiagnosed or wrongly diagnosed and often symptoms of their conditions include a lack of insight and mistrust of the very people who could diagnose and help them. It is not shirking or non-compliance. It is a symptom, just like high blood sugar or blood pressure. Eighty percent of the people I work with report a history of childhood or adult trauma and abuse – often both. Even when they are undergoing treatment and have been diagnosed, their encounters with Centrelink and JSA are often traumatic. Foolish attempts at forcing compliance often re-traumatise them and are a barrier to therapists addressing their core problems. Inflexible policy aimed at enforcing compliance actually produces the opposite. Even when they can access suitable treatment (and BAMH has been a boon), program frameworks often limit the amount of treatment or time frame available, which again impacts most on those who are more disadvantaged and severely affected.

So please allow me the indulgence of making a few suggestions that might address these realities.

1)      Apply both the carrot and the stick to employers. Offer them incentives to employ disabled people and to employ people part-time. Offer a tax break to all companies that achieve a specific target. Start with Federal and State Government agencies. If you really believe this works – start doing it and lead by example. Use tax penalties for medium to large enterprises that fail to achieve targets for employing disabled or long-term unemployed workers.

2)      Use carrots for the unemployed. Since DSP is so luxurious – offer the unemployed the benefits of DSP as long as they are engaged in meaningful efforts to improve their work prospects. That removes the incentive to “get on DSP” by “proving disability”. If education, training and treatment really improve employment outcomes – this will save money in the medium-term. Trying to live on NSA is enough stick for anyone. Allow people on benefits to experience reward for effort (rather than just the avoidance of penalty).

3)      Allow all people with temporary or uncertain disability the same conditions as (2) – although for temporary or uncertain disability the emphasis will be more on assessment and treatment.

4)      Provide generous resources so that people with disabilities can access assessment and treatment IMMEDIATELY. Even when services are available, long waiting lists and gap fees often exclude those most in need from accessing the needed assessment and treatment.

5)      Revise the funding model to provide benefits to JSA’s who employ highly skilled and qualified caseworkers and pay them commensurately with their skills. Allow them to provide appropriate therapeutic services for mental health and substance issues when there are limited or inadequate local services available.

6)      Fund or develop enterprises along a “work co-operative” model in order to provide skilled, flexible work for people with disabilities. Give those enterprises a good chance of success by feeding them a steady supply of outsourced government contract work. This type of enterprise would be highly suited for those with intermittent work requirements as work could be pooled. Such enterprises should also be more open to teleworking – again highly suited to those requiring intermittent work. One possible work such enterprises could be contracted to do is the monitoring of target and incentive programs mentioned above. Allow the disabled to apply the stick to recalcitrant, social responsibility avoiding employers.

7)      If a person with or with or without a disability has been unable despite their best efforts to obtain suitable employment within two years, then exempt them from explicit paid employment seeking if they are willing to engage in the equivalent voluntary work or community service.

8)      Exempt clients with suspected serious mental disability from compliance requirements without the burden of immediate proof. Offer them the same incentives as (2). Allow GP’s, mental health workers or carers to report such concerns. Fund Centrelink or JSA’s to provide outreach workers whose task it is to seek to engage, case-manage and refer such clients. Give such caseworkers the power to make decisions, without prejudice or financial incentive regarding compliance or exemption measures.

9)      No one should be compelled to undertake Work for the Dole for less than the minimum wage equivalent.

10)  Reform the basket cases that are Centrelink and DOCS. Make the form letters readable, human and compassionate. Only employ staff in “contact” positions with well developed people skills. Do not penalise customers for their inability to comprehend Centrelink requirements when staff at all levels seem to be unable to do so consistently.

11)  Broaden the range of treatments available under Medicare or case management for mental health conditions – particularly for trauma, PTSD and personality disorders.

If you do this, you will have the beginnings of a compassionate, responsive welfare system that respects and develops the dignity of the disabled and disadvantaged. I thought that was what the Labor Party stood for?

I would be interested in meeting with you or a representative to discuss these measures. However given that you have already been told this by Anglicare, NCOSS, The Brotherhood of St Lawrence, St Vincent De Paul and many others, I’m frankly not optimistic.

I could even be part of your solution if you are willing to employ a disabled person for 15 hours per week who requires some flexibility. What I actually expect is that I and many others like me will be whipped, penalised and subjected to even worse poverty by a government that pretends to care about the dignity of work.

Please prove me wrong.

Ken Davis

$1bn cut from disabled, parents' welfare - National - theage.com.au

$1bn cut from disabled, parents' welfare - National - theage.com.au: "THE Government will slash $1 billion from welfare to single parents and the disabled over the next three years, it has confirmed just before the start of its new Welfare to Work regime today."

Make no mistake, the Government is spending $37 billion dollars on tax cuts for the rich, while robbing the poor. There is no need for these cuts which will create a deeper poverty trap for 150,000 Australians. The Government not only has the capacity to reduce poverty, but also the capacity to make a difference.

Instead, John Coward has chosen the path of poor bashing, and shown his true colours. The tragedy is that the Labour party has been silent in speaking out for the poor, instead focusing it's energy on bribing "middle Australia".

There is a way to make a difference, but neither major party has the political will or guts to claw back money from the rich to improve the situation of the poor by training, affordable education and bribing greedy employers to do what is morally and socially right.

The Australian: Mike Steketee: Built-in contradictions [December 01, 2005]

Mike Steketee from the Australian highlights the contradictions built into the IR and Welfare Reform.

Moreover, the closer wage levels come to government benefits, the smaller will be the incentive to take jobs. Although this should not be a serious barrier for people to move into full-time work, because their incomes will rise substantially, it could be a real factor for the many who can only pick up casual or part-time jobs.

Even the welfare-to-work legislation has contradictory incentives. In future, people with disabilities assessed as being able to work as few as 15 hours a week will no longer qualify for disability support pensions. Instead they will go on to Newstart if they do not get a job, and face a cut in income of $46 a week or more, depending on their circumstances. Single parents whose youngest child turns eight will face a similar situation, with cuts in their income of at least $29 a week. These are the sticks designed to make people look seriously for jobs.

Of course, who are the people who will be seeking part time work because they are UNABLE to work full-time. Who is it who will be forced into low paid jobs? It is people with disabilities. Instead of workplace justice for people with disabilities, we will continue to face limited choices, ongoing abuse and discrimination, and now Howard's big stick.

The Australian: Welfare changes 'won't save money' [November 24, 2005]

As one of those people the Government has done nothing to help, and is planning on doing nothing to help, I fully agree with the following quote.

"'Despite the Howard Government complaining for years about the 'problem' of having 700,000 people stuck on the disability support pension, it has admitted that its plans do nothing to help them into work,' said Labor family and community services spokesman Chris Evans. 'These 700,000 Australians have been abandoned by the Government, with officials today confirming that the Government's package provides no new assistance to help those who want to work.'"

What would really help is providing incentives (bribes) to employers to employ people like me, and providing structural incentives to promote part-time work, especially in Gobernment Positions. Hats off to DEWR who have done this in thier recent advertisements.

I hope when they actually make decisions that they WILL employ some disabled people who can only work part time.

Devil in detail deprives disabled of welfare - National - smh.com.au

lthough the Government has consistently said people would have to look for 15 hours of work a week, a parliamentary inquiry into the new system heard yesterday that people could be required to work up to 25 hours a week.

'There is no upper hours, part-time work limit in the legislation,' the executive director of the National Welfare Rights Network, Michael Raper, told the inquiry.

'If they refuse a suitable job offer of up to 25 hours a week when they are working at, say, 13 hours a week, they can be hit with an immediate eight-week no-payment penalty and will lose in excess of $2000 [in welfare payments].'"

ACOSS and the New Regime

“ACOSS supports the Government’s goal of transitioning more people into work but urge all Members of Parliament to amend the welfare package to ensure rules are applied fairly and no one is left financially worse off.”

I fully support the following ACOSS statement.

“We know that one of the main pathways out of poverty is secure employment. However, areas that are job-rich are often the most expensive to live and many jobless people have a low level of experience and skills with which to find work.”

“These barriers to work that people with disabilities and single parents have are not those that can be solved by changes to payment rules. The payments system must be part of assistance to ensure that single parents and people with disabilities have access to appropriate education, training and support so they can get jobs in today’s economy.”

What is needed is real, positive, affirmative action to tear down the barriers and attitudes that block the disabled from getting a job. A DEWR employee told me that their own modelling shows 98% of a disabled person's chances of getting work are beyond their control once they are disabled.

If the Government wants to focus on ability, it must lead the way in providing positions suited for people with disabilities.

The Advertiser: Rural areas 'lose out' on welfare [26oct05]

"'ACOSS figures are biased and can never be trusted, as has been seen time and again over the last 12 months. Unfortunately, this undermines the credibility of ACOSS's argument,' he said in a statement.

'I don't share ACOSS's view that people who have a capacity to work are better off on welfare rather than in a job.

'There are thousands of people who will be infinitely better off under the Government's $3.6 billion investment in employment services and support.'"

My Comment

OK folks, do the maths. As far as I can see, no-one will be infinitely better off. Some may be 5-10% better off. So is it ACOSS figures we can't trust, or the Government?

Disabled people stopped from working

Discrimination and inflexible workplaces are preventing disabled people from working, a new report shows.

The report, commissioned by the Department of Family and Community Services (FaCS), has found most disabled people would like to work part-time, but think it is unlikely employers will give them the flexibility they need.

They also say that Centrelink is largely unhelpful and that moving from the Newstart Allowance - when they are required to look for work - onto the Disability Support Pension (DSP) is a great relief.

'Most felt that they would be able to cope with formal part-time employment if employers were more flexible,' the report's authors said.

'This would involve employers taking account of their disability and allowing them to rest during the day when they needed to and to take whole days off when they could not contemplate going to work,' they said."

Comment

Its not rocket science is it? I hear this report from motivated people I interview every day I work. The problem is employer attitude.

The Australian: Retro sting in dole reforms [October 03, 2005]

The Australian: Retro sting in dole reforms [October 03, 2005]: "THE Howard Government will further toughen 'three strikes and you're out' dole rules by including in the tally mistakes by unemployed people made during the 12 months before the changes are brought in.

The decision means many people on the dole could face two months without money as soon as the Government's welfare reforms start next July."

My Comment

Now what about if we apply the three strikes rule to Centrelink and pollies. Centrelink make three mistakes and all welfare recipients get a weeks extra payment. If pollies mislead parliament or fail to answer the actual question asked in question time and they forfeit their seat.

Would that be fair?

Disabled to wait for benefits - National Breaking News - Breaking News 24/7 - NEWS.com.au

Disabled to wait for benefits - National Breaking News - Breaking News 24/7 - NEWS.com.au: "DISABLED and sole parent jobseekers with savings will have to wait an average of more than two months for their benefits from next July, welfare advocates say.
In a new twist in the debate surrounding the Government's controversial welfare-to-work package, the National Welfare Rights Network (NWRN) has discovered people will lose a week's worth of benefits for every $1000 over $2500 they have in savings."

Comment

Isn't it good to know that the Governments reward for those who heeded it's advice to save for the future is to take it back.

Publications - NATSEM

Here is the truth about the Howard Government's proposed "Welfare to Work" initiatives, aimed at increasing the opportunities and incentives for people with a disability:

The Government’s proposed welfare to work reforms will not directly affect the disposable income or effective marginal tax rates (EMTRs) of those Australians who are already in receipt of Disability Support Pension (DSP) on 1 July 2006 and who remain on that payment.

However, those persons with disabilities who begin receiving income support after 1 July 2006 will be placed on Newstart Allowance if they are assessed as being able to work 15 to 29 hours a week at award wages. The Newstart Allowance maximum payment rate for single adults in 2006-07 is $46 a week lower than that of DSP, resulting in an immediate loss of this amount of income for those placed on Newstart Allowance rather than DSP. The gap between DSP and Newstart Allowance will increase further in future years, as DSP is indexed to movements in average weekly earnings, while Newstart Allowance is indexed to the (generally lower) Consumer Price Index. As a result, by 2009-10, for example, the maximum payment rate for Newstart Allowance for single adults will be about $224, some $68 lower than the $292 payable for DSP (rather than the $46 a week gap apparent for 2006-07.)

The Newstart Allowance income test is also much less generous than the DSP income test, and its payment is also less than that of the DSP. Taken together, these mean that the losses in take-home income can be as high as $122 a week for single people with disabilities and around $390 per week of private earnings who are placed on Newstart Allowance rather than DSP. People with disabilities placed on Newstart Allowance are more than $100 a week worse off when their private incomes range between $196 and $448, relative to the payments they receive under the current system. These reductions in income amount to a 25 to 27 per cent cut in income when private incomes range from $196 to $400 a week.

The Facts - How many will be robbed

Question:Senator Wong asked at Hansard page 49:
How many people who would previously have been on the DSP will be on enhanced Newstart under the Welfare Reform package?

Answer:
The estimated costs of the Welfare to Work package included, amongst other things, the impact of the following number of people who would have been on DSP, but will instead be on Newstart Allowance, as a result of the Welfare to Work package:

• 34,400 in 2006-07;
• 57,900 in 2007-08; and
• 75,700 in 2008-09.

These costing estimates include people who will be granted DSP between 11 May 2005 and 30 June 2006 and will be reviewed with some (those with 15-29 hours per week capacity) transferring to Newstart Allowance as a result of the review process.

These estimates represent annual average impacts for the relevant year, and have been rounded to the nearest 100.

workplace.gov.au - Survey of New Disability Support Pension Customers - Executive Summary

workplace.gov.au - Survey of New Disability Support Pension Customers - Executive Summary: "Participants who were not currently working but with future work intentions or the potential to work in the future were asked a question regarding factors that they would consider before accepting an appropriate position. The three most common factors identified by the 418 respondents were:

* location or distance from home
* pay or salary
* employer flexibility (includes flexibility in relation to hours and days worked as well as work-from-home options).


Participants were also asked about the advantages and disadvantages of working. The most common advantages identified were:

* more money/income
* improve self confidence/self esteem/state of mind
* social contact.

The most common disadvantage of working identified by both groups was that of potential problems with physical and/or mental health."

Comment

This report confirms the truth behind what people with disabilities have been saying for years. We want to work, but we don't want to be forced to do it in a way that jeopardises our health, our psyche and our families. Does that make us bludgers?

Easy way to send letters to your Local Member

A C O S S Website by Webit: "Tell your local MP that you care in 3 quick steps

This year Parliament will consider legislation on payments for the poorest Australians. This includes rules that mean after July 2006 up to 300,000 people could have less money to live on. Take action online now in three quick steps and tell your Member of Parliament that you care about jobless people."

Just click on the heading above to go to the ACOSS Action page.