Just on this topic, I just have to say, right at this moment I feel pretty happy knowing that I live in a country that is doing pretty well, and if for some reason I started to do it tough, that I would still have food, shelter, and free access to health care.
Back to the original question - I think the seldom stated but real reason we have welfare is to stop poor people pinching our tvs.
Spot on Formula and Relly.
We, our friends or rellos have ALL benefited from Oz's (usually) healthy attitude to social welfare (Medicare anyone?) and the philosophy of a 'safety net' at some time in the past and are likely to in the future..
Remember the recession in late 80's? Most CUBs probably don't but likely their folks benefitted in some way from Oz's welfare system and Medicare that followed soon after. Go on Mr jet ski polisher - ask ya folks about it sometime..
Unfortunately (IMO) the more afluent our country becomes the more the 'have's' want to distance themselves from the 'have not's and make sure the 'have not's' damn well stay there never to rise above the lower classes.
Keep on with this very US style attitude and try to treat the term/philosophy of 'social welfare' as an evil akin to kiddy fiddling and watch our 'fair go' society go to hell in a hand basket. [}:)]
And just wait for the 'have's' to go on and on about the rise in crime, violence and barricade themselves behind high estate walls.
There is a tight clasp on humanity that throttles it's very existence and that is the concept of debt. Unfortunately the Concept is a reality that is our global economy. It is more effective a hold than the chains that bound slaves together as they boarded the galley's.
This constant bickering that ensues through the CAUSE OF THE NATIONAL DEBT is quite banal when you consider the implications and the opportunites that exist to remove entirely the uncertainty and misery that results from it.
There are a lot of towel head bashers on here. I have said it before and will say it again, open up your eyes to what has happened over the last 20 years to a rapidly expanding religion that preached and practised the evil of usury.
For those of you that do not know the term, it is what caused Jesus of Nazareth to commit his only violent act, whipping the money lenders from the temple. It is also now the first tenet of our ECONOMY ( bow down and make religious signs!)
And whilst waxing eloquent Carantoc, you posted somewhere that we are as we are because of the survival of the fittest. Wrong, we are group primates and cannot survive as individuals. If the group collapses so do we. Furthemore we also rely on the wellbeing of our neighbours because their ills become ours.
Funnily enough this same theme applies to our home, Earth.
Here's a thought, who would go for a break-away party headed by Turnbull and cherry picking the (few) talented and progressive members of the majors?
Add a couple of moderate Greens etc and I think that a serious 3rd option would be the biggest step forward for this country since federation.
I reckon Labor would be out of business almost overnight and Libs would have to smarten up - BIG TIME!
Just my 2c.
Gaawwnn Malcolm - please!