Indigeneous Women Kept As Cash Cows

[icyfroth]

ABORIGINAL women are being “kept pregnant” as “cash cows” in order to make money from government hand outs, a former Labor MP has claimed.

Former politician Gary Johns made the controversial comment during an interview on Ten’s Bolt Report on Sunday morning during a discussion over the proposed constitutional recognition of indigenous Australians.

“A lot of poor women in this country, a large proportion of whom are Aboriginal, are used as cash cows,” he said.

“They are kept pregnant and producing children for the cash. Now that has to stop.”

Johns’ comments were in response to a report from Aboriginal Housing Victoria which today revealed Aboriginal women were 34 times more likely to suffer domestic violence than non-indigenous women, published by Fairfax.

He aimed his comments at Cape York community leader Noel Pearson and his approach to constitutional recognition.

“I’d like Noel and his team to start thinking about fundamental issues that affect his people and our people at the really lower end of this society,” he said.

“They should be trying to smash the welfare state, not a liberal democracy and its constitution.”

The former MP who served in the Keating government has gained attention on social media for his controversial comments, but he’s no stranger to backlash when it comes to his views on welfare.

Writing in The Australian last year, Johns suggested welfare should be linked to compulsory contraception, saying there should be “no taxpayer inducement to have children”.

“Potential parents of poor means, poor skills or bad character will choose to have children. So be it,” he wrote.

“But no one should enter parenthood while on a benefit.”

http://www.news.com.au/finance/money/former-labor-mp-gary-johns-says-indigenous-women-are-being-kept...

I disagree about welfare being linked to compulsory contraception.

[punch*drunk]

I wonder where my siggi went??

[icyfroth]

did you change something on photobucket?

[punch*drunk]

No but my kids have been looking at the photos on there so maybe they did something. Will look later.

[bella_again]

I have no doubt there is a minority of people and communities where this kind of behaviour is prevelant.  However what I object to is the way in which these people come out and make comments that do more harm than good, who offer no real solutions other than making uninformed comments about how people on welfare shouldn't have children which as I mentioned before would be 2/3 of the country as most receive welfare in one form or another which suggests he's keen on the rich having kids.

It isn't that simple.  If he had come out and make a comment that had a viable solution rather than using that comment to cause conflict between people groups then maybe we would all listen. All I have seen of late in the news is whinging about how this group of people do this and that and how they are all on welfare blah blah blah. How about some real solutions, how about funding interventions and actually caring about change in these peoples lives. No instead the govt is dead set on cutting funding to our most vulnerable.  They'll pay millions for reports, royal commissions and goodness knows what else but there is never any action.

It's my opinion that most people are sick of it their cheap political stunts, how about some real action that makes a difference that empowers people... nope that would just be too hard.

[icyfroth]

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@bella_again wrote:

I have no doubt there is a minority of people and communities where this kind of behaviour is prevelant.  However what I object to is the way in which these people come out and make comments that do more harm than good, who offer no real solutions other than making uninformed comments about how people on welfare shouldn't have children which as I mentioned before would be 2/3 of the country as most receive welfare in one form or another which suggests he's keen on the rich having kids.

It isn't that simple.  If he had come out and make a comment that had a viable solution rather than using that comment to cause conflict between people groups then maybe we would all listen. All I have seen of late in the news is whinging about how this group of people do this and that and how they are all on welfare blah blah blah. How about some real solutions, how about funding interventions and actually caring about change in these peoples lives. No instead the govt is dead set on cutting funding to our most vulnerable.  They'll pay millions for reports, royal commissions and goodness knows what else but there is never any action.

It's my opinion that most people are sick of it their cheap political stunts, how about some real action that makes a difference that empowers people... nope that would just be too hard.

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So what would you recommend? Job creation and welfare cuts?

[punch*drunk]

I have no doubt there is a minority of people and communities where this kind of behaviour is prevelant.  However what I object to is the way in which these people come out and make comments that do more harm than good, who offer no real solutions other than making uninformed comments about how people on welfare shouldn't have children which as I mentioned before would be 2/3 of the country as most receive welfare in one form or another which suggests he's keen on the rich having kids.

There'll be no solution until the people that try and dismiss these sort of claims start discussing them instead. You need acknowledgment of the problem existing before there can be any hope of fixing it.

[morgana2408]

I understand what the Op said, but yet again a particlar group is singled out. He should have said about woman/children in general being used.

[morgana2408]

I do agree in regards to Chloe Valentine. I cry when I hear stories like that, especially having to deal with situations like that in my time working with children

[bella_again]

And you can't have a real conversation until people are prepared to look at solutions.  No one is disagreeing that there aren't issues but the way he presents it, is not a discussion. There are many many cases like Chloe Valentine sadly.  Children who endure abuse on levels that would blow most peoples minds.  Try working in child protection or volunteer as a foster carer, it will really open your eyes. We all agree change needs to occur, no question about that, abuse, is never acceptable but not everyone on welfare is an abuser, not everyone on welfare is a dole bludger and the list goes on. Singling out one group of people without dealing with the entire picture won't change anything.

All I see from many of these people are punitive measures that do little to solve the problem, unless you empower people nothing changes. Our current system is not empowering people or communities toward change. It does not deal with issues across the board and that is what needs to happen.

As far as welfare cuts go plunging people further into poverty will only create a bigger problem, job creation is fine if it can be done but maybe we need to look at work differently.  Maybe we need to value people who fulfill a bunch of roles that don't come under employment as such. Maybe we need to change our definition of work in the current climate to recognising volunteer roles and the many other roles that are fulfilled by wonderful people who can not find work but contribute to our nation. 

Maybe its time to build people up to give them choices and create community that encourages positive life style choices. Maybe we need to fund homelessness organisations and places like Anglicare that are losing funding to feed the community.  Maybe we need early intervention to take place to stop this horrific cycle of abuse instead of spending millions on Royal commissions and reports that do not even relate to reality and usually never implement anything of use. There is a hell of a lot more we can be doing then what we are doing now.

It's too easy for people to sit in their ivory tower and make choices that affect others without knowing or caring about the realities of what is actually happening.

[i-need-a-martini]

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@bella_again wrote:

Maybe its time to build people up to give them choices and create community that encourages positive life style choices. Maybe we need to fund homelessness organisations and places like Anglicare that are losing funding to feed the community.  Maybe we need early intervention to take place to stop this horrific cycle of abuse instead of spending millions on Royal commissions and reports that do not even relate to reality and usually never implement anything of use. There is a hell of a lot more we can be doing then what we are doing now.

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There can be no solution without funding.

Sadly, earlier this year the Abbott Government  cut federal funding to every single option you mentioned above.

Without funding for prevention, education and support services, the cycle continues.