People on dole 'don't care about the community

[catsnknots]

I could not agree more.. I have met people up here that are thrid or fourth generation on the dole. They do nothing to interact with the community and never attend the council meetings but are the first to complain when something goes wrong. 

When I was reliant on welfare I use to volunteer and go to several events to keep up with what was going on and did my best to improve things for me and my community. I tried to give back whatever I could. I use to teach my kids that you never take welfare for granted as one day it will not be there for you. 

My 19 yr old that has left home never applied for unemployment, even when he could not find a job he went around and dropped flyers to houses as an IT person and has started his own business. He always said that wlefare was for those in real trouble and that people should always try to fend for themselves. 

We are running out of money... we cannot all expect to be supported forever... I know that we will always need some sort of welfare system, that some people will always be unemployable... but should we make them do more for that free money??? 

http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/government-mp-says-people-on-dole-dont-care-ab...

An Abbott government MP has accused dole recipients of trying to "screw the system", saying they are too self-interested to bother attending community meetings.

Mr O'Dowd told a community meeting on Monday night in Capella, north-east Queensland: "You won't get anyone on the dole coming to these sort of meetings, because they don't care about the community, they care about themselves and how they can screw the system".

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The meeting was attended by about a dozen Capella residents.

In audio of the meeting heard by Fairfax Media, Mr O'Dowd also argued that too many Australians were exploiting the social security system, and that something needed to be done to stop welfare cheats. He recalled a conversation he had had recently with billionaire Gina Rinehart.

[colic2bullsgirlore]

catmad wrote

"When I was reliant on welfare I use to volunteer and go to several events to keep up with what was going on and did my best to improve things for me and my community"

"Mr O'Dowd told a community meeting on Monday night in Capella, north-east Queensland: "You won't get anyone on the dole coming to these sort of meetings, because they don't care about the community, they care about themselves and how they can screw the system"

"I worked darn hard to get myself employable again after becoming sick. I get angry with people that make no effort. "

How angry would you have been and who would your anger be directed at if you were at that meeting, and, were still working darn hard to make yourslef employable again because as yet you had not secured employment ( or for that matter if you had succeeded because of your "darn hard work" and had found work because of your perserverance and had attended the meeting)?

Do you think you would have jumped up and screamed "Au contraire" Mr Odowd or  just accept his critique as fact when you know you are an example of exactly the opposite?

IMO  Mr Odowds statement were meant to manipulate public opinion and reinforce a incorrect stereotype in those who attended

I wonder whether he asked how many of the 12 at the meeting were unemployed?

How about you?

[i-need-a-martini]

So let me understand this.

You make a general blanket statement that "People on the dole do not care about community". And that's not OK. Because "they" don't give back.

Buy you yourself survived on welfare. But that was OK. Because you gave back.

Perhaps what you really meant to say was this: That in Australia a very small and tiny minority, an insignifican't percentage in fact, MAY be screwing the system by not giving the back. The vast, VAST majority of recipients need that help (as you did) and are grateful (as you were) that the Australian government is humane enough to ensure that all people are able to live a quality way of life.

BTW, Mr ODowds comments were ludicrous.

[catsnknots]

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@the_hawk* wrote:

They do nothing to create jobs and let manufacturing go overseas because  they dont support industry here and then wonder why the unemployment rate is high, gee wizz it doesn't take a rocket scientist to work it out yet the people we pay lots of money to cant, I think they should be on the unemployed list

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100% agree with most of this. 

I just wonder though are we meant to support industry here or is industry meant to figure out a way to stay her productively? 

[love*today]

So your 19 yo left home, had no job and no government assistance?
How'd he pay the bloody rent and feed himself?

[love*today]

And gotta love a government that sates that helping school children is a waste of money (which in effect could increase unemployment) yet thinks it's a marvelous idea to give newlyweds counselling money?!!

[catsnknots]

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@colic2bullsgirlore wrote:

catmad wrote

"When I was reliant on welfare I use to volunteer and go to several events to keep up with what was going on and did my best to improve things for me and my community"

"Mr O'Dowd told a community meeting on Monday night in Capella, north-east Queensland: "You won't get anyone on the dole coming to these sort of meetings, because they don't care about the community, they care about themselves and how they can screw the system"

"I worked darn hard to get myself employable again after becoming sick. I get angry with people that make no effort. "

How angry would you have been and who would your anger be directed at if you were at that meeting, and, were still working darn hard to make yourslef employable again because as yet you had not secured employment ( or for that matter if you had succeeded because of your "darn hard work" and had found work because of your perserverance and had attended the meeting)?

Do you think you would have jumped up and screamed "Au contraire" Mr Odowd or  just accept his critique as fact when you know you are an example of exactly the opposite?

IMO  Mr Odowds statement were meant to manipulate public opinion and reinforce a incorrect stereotype in those who attended

I wonder whether he asked how many of the 12 at the meeting were unemployed?

How about you?

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Possibly lots were unemployed, they could have been retired... we don't know. I guess that someone at that meeting was a bit cheesed off as they released the tape of the meeting didn't they? 

But as others have said, lots of people unemployed find jobs quickly and are not on it for long. Other spend years on it and have no ability to physically get out to work. 

I don't know how I would have taken the critique, maybe be a bit sensitve to it as I really wanted to work???  I would also have questioned him more about what he meant and get clarification. 

[vampire-teddy]

OP tell that to the many who volunteer at meals on wheels that I know.  there are many who do voluntary work and it can also be a full time job these day just trying to find work. as far as I can see there are people from all walks of life who don't care about community and those who do.  stop picking on one group of people most of whom are just desparate to get back into the workforce.  such generalisations are unproductive. the unemployed  are part of our "community"  maybe they should be cared about instead of treated badly.

[catsnknots]

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@i-need-a-martini wrote:

So let me understand this.

You make a general blanket statement that "People on the dole do not care about community". And that's not OK. Because "they" don't give back.

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re-read the thread... it was the title of the article I posted... 

TGSE already pulled me up on that.... 

[chuk_77]

title of thread: People on dole dont care about the community

next line (yours) I could not agree more

[catsnknots]

lol.. ok.. all my fault... 

seems people here can't take the post as a whole... and ALL of my other posts... 

Who here is perfect in what they post. I had a dinner to go to and had spent the whole morning preoccupied with sorting out the fraud on my credit card... came here for a bit of a chat before I went out.