Welfare Reform suggestions

[donnashuggy]

Who should they target first? Or last?

[freakiness]

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@catsnknots wrote:

LL, I stopped without rehab!! Many people can and do...

I think instead of getting extra cash from DSP payments for drug addiction that money should go towards paying for rehab services.... infact how about they go into rehab and all of thier government payments go to help pay for thier treatment? 

SH-wonderland, I am all good now. I got help from a fantastic rehabilitation job network agency and when I got well again I found a great job .... my family helped my financially along with the regular newstart payments.... 

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Going away to rehabs has always been a failure for most. In the past the majority seemed to go on the rehab merry go roundand that became thier friendship circle. Well managed in community rehab would be more successful to enable people to re-educate themselves so they're employable and have the know how to live a hard drug free lifestyle.    To be fair I haven't had anyhting to do with or known anyone going through that for years so the system might have changed.

Yes, some can do it on their own but there is a lot out there who don't seem to be able to.  In some it becomes a mental health problem.

[donnashuggy]

I wonder if obesity is considered to be self inflicted and if you are too large/unable to work whether the government considers it a disability? After all, it is an addiction, isn't it?

[boris1gary]

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@donnashuggy wrote:

Who should they target first? Or last?

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donna, you used the word reform in the topic, so I am a little confused - there are no plans for "reform", only cuts. 

A reform would be an increase in the newstart payments so people without a job weren't forced to live in poverty. A reform would be to undo the changes made by the last government to the supporting/single parent benefit. Another reform would be making it simpler to be on a disability pension rather than harder and harder.

[fourandsixpants]

LOL!

[lakeland27 · Accepted solution]

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@donnashuggy wrote:

I wonder if obesity is considered to be self inflicted and if you are too large/unable to work whether the government considers it a disability? After all, it is an addiction, isn't it?

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 full of hard questions Donna  ?  the effects of obesity, chronic diabetes etc are grounds for eligibility . as is emphysema , lung cancer etc.

so eventually legal lifestyle choices or hereditary conditions related to obesity would be grounds.

[donnashuggy]

Not sure which post you are laughing at but hoping it is the one about over-eating lol

[**meep**]

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@freakiness wrote:

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@lakeland27 wrote:

too simple.  without rehab places its unworkable, governments find the dsp cheaper than actually doing something (and it is)

if there were dedicated rehab places (enough) i might think differently, but there are virtually zero.

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True. The programs that are availeble, such as methadone don't generally work as they should because they are under resourced to the point of not be able to provide enough rehabiltative services to assist people to find a way of changing their lifestyle, get into work and contribute to society.

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They can work.  My ex attended a methadone clinic on daily basis before work initially.   He was eventually allowed 'take-aways' where he only needed to attend twice a week. 

He had no problem with accessing a rehab centre.  He was unemployed at the time.   WHOS was the rehab place - are they still around?  

[donnashuggy]

Thanks for putting it into perspective wise Lakeland 🙂

the effects of obesity, chronic diabetes etc are grounds for eligibility . as is emphysema , lung cancer etc.

so eventually legal lifestyle choices or hereditary conditions related to obesity would be grounds.

[lakeland27]

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@boris1gary wrote:

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@donnashuggy wrote:

Who should they target first? Or last?

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donna, you used the word reform in the topic, so I am a little confused - there are no plans for "reform", only cuts. 

A reform would be an increase in the newstart payments so people without a job weren't forced to live in poverty. A reform would be to undo the changes made by the last government to the supporting/single parent benefit. Another reform would be making it simpler to be on a disability pension rather than harder and harder.

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Thats right, this government doesn't reform , they axe and attempt to call it reform.

[**meep**]

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@donnashuggy wrote:

I did actually watch it as my husband had not arrived home from the Mardi Gras poddy lol

He is quite well spoken isn't he? I thought he was wrong to compare attacks on Juliar Gillard for being female with attacks on Tony Abbott for being dreadful at his job. That is what I thought.

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@Noooooo.........I don't think those were the comparisons made.....Have a look again @approx 3/4 way through...

http://tenplay.com.au/channel-ten/the-bolt-report/2014/3/2