Media coverage: protest re: proposed remote community closures

[manticle]

Presumably you mean all welfare recipients yeah? So drug testing for austudy recipients, age pension, disability pension, sickness allowance, family benefit, military pension, etc.

 

[sponge]

I know at least 4 people around my age (27) who use their payments to buy whatever drugs they want. No, they don't live luxurious lifestyles, but they complain about not having enough money for food and rent when they spend it on drugs instead.

Two of them are austudy recipients, one is claiming disability (who says he's able to work no problems but was able to get a 'doctor family friend' to write out something for him) and one on family benefits. It shits me knowing that this is what is happening with their payments.

 

[mje1980]

I

I know at least 4 people around my age (27) who use their payments to buy whatever drugs they want. No, they don't live luxurious lifestyles, but they complain about not having enough money for food and rent when they spend it on drugs instead.

Two of them are austudy recipients, one is claiming disability (who says he's able to work no problems but was able to get a 'doctor family friend' to write out something for him) and one on family benefits. It shits me knowing that this is what is happening with their payments.

I didn't know you lived in bellambi

 

[sponge]

I
I didn't know you lived in bellambi

Just upgraded to Bally :lol:

 

[mje1980]

Doubt you'll find any welfare cheats up there. Maybe negative gearing tax evaders though

 

[Bomber Watson]

Doubt you'll find any welfare cheats up there. Maybe negative gearing tax evaders though

I fail to see hoe claiming a loss on an investment is anywhere near close to welfare....hope you don't claim tools/phone/computer/car/whatever as tax deductions each year at tax time?

Its not hard to understand how infrastructure is a lot more expensive in remote communities.

Setting up a power line to service 5 houses is not much cheaper than setting one up to service 20 on a street. Running a sewerage line for 5 houses is not a lot cheaper than running one for 20.

Plus you have transport issues and labour issues, no rail or major trucking routes to take materials in, and no workforce locally bumps the price up substantially.

Most people living just outside of town here don't have town water or sewerage because its to expensive, that's a few thousand people who could be serviced for a fraction more than the cost to do the same for simply a few people.

Then there's the rates factor, rates would go up for those homeowners on the outskirts and the infrastructure would slowly pay for itself.

Hell on my rates bill I have to pay for the sewerage line under my yard. It has been there for about 60 years, I'm gonna step out on a limb and say that's probably payed for. Same as the water line.

I don't think we should totally cut funding to these remote communities, but I do think the residents need to take a little more responsibility.

The one local to here is an interesting case. Every couple of years a government crew of chippies get sent out to build new houses and repair the old ones. Within a few months everything is destroyed again.

Instead of turning on the reverse cycle air cons in winter for example, the residents simply tear down walls/doors/whatever and burn them in the lounge room for example.

Child abuse, drug and substance abuse, pedophilia, incest, child pregnancy, domestic violence, all things that are rampant in these communities and need to be addressed. Sadly besides the drug and substance abuse its all part of the heritage we are paying to protect.

 

[mje1980]

Was a bit of a joke not related to the original topic mate. Apologies

 

[Bomber Watson]

Whole thing wasn't directed at you haha.

And yeah no worries wasn't sure if joking or not, there's a lot of jealous hypocrites out there who honestly believe people who have worked hard and spe t there money wisely don't deserve to claim expenses on tax like everyone else can....bit of a pet gripe.

Peace.

 

[mje1980]

I hear you on that, it's like being punished for working hard and planning for the future.