Facebook lights up over suggestion Tasmanians should leave to find work

    NICK CLARK
    Mercury
    May 24, 2014


TASMANIANS have reacted swiftly and strongly to Prime Minister Tony Abbott’s suggestion that young unemployed people should move if they can’t find a job in Tasmania.

The Mercury’s Facebook site and website were inundated with comments opposed to Mr Abbott’s statement in Hobart this week, that moving out of the state would not be the “worst outcome in the world’’.

“People came to Tasmania in order to better their lives. So, I don’t think we should be necessarily heartbroken just because some people choose to move,” he said.

The story on Facebook attracted almost 100,000 views.

State Growth Minister Matthew Groom denied Mr Abbott’s comments were at odds with the State Government’s policy to expand the population to 650,000 by 2050.

He said part of the policy to expand the economy was to attract people to the State.

“We think it’s important to have ambition to grow the Tasmanian economy and growing our population is a big part of that,” he said.

Youth Network of Tasmania chief executive Joanna Seijka said Mr Abbott’s comments failed to recognise the reality of the plight faced by many young Tasmanians.

“Our young people need support, not to be forced to move from the State,” Ms Seijka said.      :(

“There is a very real risk that if things don’t go well – if there isn’t a job for them at the other end or if that job isn’t sustainable – then young people will be on the downward spiral to poverty and homelessness.”

A member of the Mercury and Sunday Tasmanian’s Our Kids: Our Future campaign, Scott Cullen, 24, said he was not considering moving interstate to find work.

“There are moving costs and trying to find somewhere to live,” he said. “If you can’t get a job you can’t live anywhere.”      :(

Mr Cullen, of Claremont, said he had done two courses – in traffic control and construction – but had not worked since last year.

University of Tasmania School of Social Sciences lecturer Brendan Churchill said Mr Abbott’s comments were a distraction from the issue of what the Government was going to do to create employment.

“The Government needs to do more than say ‘just move somewhere else’,” he said.      ;)

Brotherhood of St Laurence senior manager of Youth Programs Sally James said many young people did not have employment skills and would be wasting time if they relocated.

Labor Senator Carol Brown said Mr Abbott should apologise to young Tasmanian jobseekers for suggesting they should leave to find a job.

“Tasmania has some of the highest youth unemployment in Australia and the solution isn’t shipping our best and brightest young people off the island,” she said.      :(

Employment Minister Eric Abetz said Tasmanians could not expect their fellow Australians to pay them to stay at home when there were suitable job opportunities for them elsewhere in Australia.

“As we know, there have been many harvesting jobs go begging in Tasmania, which have been taken up by people that have travelled from the other side of the world,” he said.

“More recently a delegation has gone to New Zealand to find farm workers at a time when we have the highest rate of unemployment.”

Our young people need support, not to be forced to move from the State,” Ms Seijka said.      :(

I can't see the point, unless there's a swag of vacant positions and affordable accommodation somewhere, and we all know that's not the case.

Onya Tone just can't help himself, can he?

He just inserts himself up so many noses, he is starting to look like a hankie.

Ahh yes that's the spirit that made this country great...

Look it is all a mistake and taken out of context.

What he meant was, move interstate so that while you are not working you can enjoy high speed internet in some locations.

“There are moving costs and trying to find somewhere to live,” he said. “If you can’t get a job you can’t live anywhere.”      :(

wrote on May 25^th, 2014 at 10:08am:

“There are moving costs and trying to find somewhere to live,” he said. “If you can’t get a job you can’t live anywhere.”      :(

Tell that to all the fly in fly out workers at the mines.

How will they live without a job and without unemployment benefits.....Perhaps Abbott and Hockey should have budgeted for more park benches to accommodate these whingers???

:-? :-? :-?

Yes for some of the miners that may be so.  Of course not everyone is a miner though.     :(

philperth2010 wrote on May 25^th, 2014 at 10:11am:

How will they live without a job and without unemployment benefits.....Perhaps Abbott and Hockey should have budgeted for more park benches to accommodate these whingers??? :-? :-? :-?

Or maybe that can start a cottage industry, like making placards for all the protesters??

wrote on May 25^th, 2014 at 10:12am:

Yes for some of the miners that may be so.  Of course not everyone is a miner though.     :(

And not everyone working at the mines is a miner either...truck drivers, cooks, office staff, hospitality staff. The list is endless.

gizmo_2655 wrote on May 25^th, 2014 at 10:13am:

philperth2010 wrote on May 25th, 2014 at 10:11am: How will they live without a job and without unemployment benefits.....Perhaps Abbott and Hockey should have budgeted for more park benches to accommodate these whingers??? :-? :-? :-? Or maybe that can start a cottage industry, like making placards for all the protesters??

so you don't know either? You should have just said so instead of making dumb comments

gizmo_2655 wrote on May 25^th, 2014 at 10:13am:

philperth2010 wrote on May 25th, 2014 at 10:11am: How will they live without a job and without unemployment benefits.....Perhaps Abbott and Hockey should have budgeted for more park benches to accommodate these whingers??? :-? :-? :-? Or maybe that can start a cottage industry, like making placards for all the protesters??

Seriously? Then we would have underemployment as our issue. There are not enough unemployed people available to service that industry and, with this mob, it might be the only growth industry that we can rely on.

wrote on May 25^th, 2014 at 10:08am:

“There are moving costs and trying to find somewhere to live,” he said. “If you can’t get a job you can’t live anywhere.”      :(

And if you haven't got accommodation, you won't get a job. Try putting "no known address' on your job application and see how far you'll get.

Peter Freedman wrote on May 25^th, 2014 at 9:24am:

Onya Tone just can't help himself, can he? He just inserts himself up so many noses, he is starting to look like a hankie.

He is more like the snot in my opinion!

;D ;D

To be fair..Abbott traveled to OXFORD (for free) to further his education  ;D
Now I hear that Eric Abetz is suggesting that fellow Tasmanians move to NZ to get work. I assume because he knows that there will be no job growth in Australia while his mob is in charge  ;D

gizmo_2655 wrote on May 25^th, 2014 at 10:14am:

wrote on May 25th, 2014 at 10:12am: Yes for some of the miners that may be so.  Of course not everyone is a miner though.     :( And not everyone working at the mines is a miner either...truck drivers, cooks, office staff, hospitality staff. The list is endless.

you tried getting one of those jobs? you know what the cost of living is in mining towns?

John Smith wrote on May 25^th, 2014 at 10:17am:

gizmo_2655 wrote on May 25th, 2014 at 10:14am: wrote on May 25th, 2014 at 10:12am: Yes for some of the miners that may be so.  Of course not everyone is a miner though.     :( And not everyone working at the mines is a miner either...truck drivers, cooks, office staff, hospitality staff. The list is endless. you tried getting one of those jobs? you know what the cost of living is in mining towns?

I'll think you'll find that Tony will do Ginas bidding and replace Aussie mine workers with Filipinos on 457 visas.

John Smith wrote on May 25^th, 2014 at 10:17am:

gizmo_2655 wrote on May 25th, 2014 at 10:14am: wrote on May 25th, 2014 at 10:12am: Yes for some of the miners that may be so.  Of course not everyone is a miner though.     :( And not everyone working at the mines is a miner either...truck drivers, cooks, office staff, hospitality staff. The list is endless. you tried getting one of those jobs? you know what the cost of living is in mining towns?

Which is why I mentioned fly in/fly out. Accommodation is supplied for those workers.

wrote on May 25^th, 2014 at 7:18am:

Facebook lights up over suggestion Tasmanians should leave to find work     NICK CLARK     Mercury     May 24, 2014 TASMANIANS have reacted swiftly and strongly to Prime Minister Tony Abbott’s suggestion that young unemployed people should move if they can’t find a job in Tasmania. The Mercury’s Facebook site and website were inundated with comments opposed to Mr Abbott’s statement in Hobart this week, that moving out of the state would not be the “worst outcome in the world’’. “People came to Tasmania in order to better their lives. So, I don’t think we should be necessarily heartbroken just because some people choose to move,” he said. The story on Facebook attracted almost 100,000 views. State Growth Minister Matthew Groom denied Mr Abbott’s comments were at odds with the State Government’s policy to expand the population to 650,000 by 2050. He said part of the policy to expand the economy was to attract people to the State. “We think it’s important to have ambition to grow the Tasmanian economy and growing our population is a big part of that,” he said. Youth Network of Tasmania chief executive Joanna Seijka said Mr Abbott’s comments failed to recognise the reality of the plight faced by many young Tasmanians. “Our young people need support, not to be forced to move from the State,” Ms Seijka said.      :( “There is a very real risk that if things don’t go well – if there isn’t a job for them at the other end or if that job isn’t sustainable – then young people will be on the downward spiral to poverty and homelessness.” A member of the Mercury and Sunday Tasmanian’s Our Kids: Our Future campaign, Scott Cullen, 24, said he was not considering moving interstate to find work. “There are moving costs and trying to find somewhere to live,” he said. “If you can’t get a job you can’t live anywhere.”      :( Mr Cullen, of Claremont, said he had done two courses – in traffic control and construction – but had not worked since last year. University of Tasmania School of Social Sciences lecturer Brendan Churchill said Mr Abbott’s comments were a distraction from the issue of what the Government was going to do to create employment. “The Government needs to do more than say ‘just move somewhere else’,” he said.      ;) Brotherhood of St Laurence senior manager of Youth Programs Sally James said many young people did not have employment skills and would be wasting time if they relocated. Labor Senator Carol Brown said Mr Abbott should apologise to young Tasmanian jobseekers for suggesting they should leave to find a job. “Tasmania has some of the highest youth unemployment in Australia and the solution isn’t shipping our best and brightest young people off the island,” she said.      :( Employment Minister Eric Abetz said Tasmanians could not expect their fellow Australians to pay them to stay at home when there were suitable job opportunities for them elsewhere in Australia. “As we know, there have been many harvesting jobs go begging in Tasmania, which have been taken up by people that have travelled from the other side of the world,” he said. “More recently a delegation has gone to New Zealand to find farm workers at a time when we have the highest rate of unemployment.”

Another non issue.
Young people have been leaving country towns for decades going to larger regional cities to find employment so the thought is nothing new.
A few years back when I was looking at moving to Tassie, when looking for work on Seek I discovered there was more available work in Townsville than in all of Tasmania and nothing since has changed.
Abbott's common sense approach does not appeal to some it seems, perhaps a few more young Taswegians could make a guest appearance on Bogan Hunters instead.

chicken_lipsforme wrote on May 25^th, 2014 at 10:32am:

wrote on May 25th, 2014 at 7:18am: Facebook lights up over suggestion Tasmanians should leave to find work     NICK CLARK     Mercury     May 24, 2014 TASMANIANS have reacted swiftly and strongly to Prime Minister Tony Abbott’s suggestion that young unemployed people should move if they can’t find a job in Tasmania. The Mercury’s Facebook site and website were inundated with comments opposed to Mr Abbott’s statement in Hobart this week, that moving out of the state would not be the “worst outcome in the world’’. “People came to Tasmania in order to better their lives. So, I don’t think we should be necessarily heartbroken just because some people choose to move,” he said. The story on Facebook attracted almost 100,000 views. State Growth Minister Matthew Groom denied Mr Abbott’s comments were at odds with the State Government’s policy to expand the population to 650,000 by 2050. He said part of the policy to expand the economy was to attract people to the State. “We think it’s important to have ambition to grow the Tasmanian economy and growing our population is a big part of that,” he said. Youth Network of Tasmania chief executive Joanna Seijka said Mr Abbott’s comments failed to recognise the reality of the plight faced by many young Tasmanians. “Our young people need support, not to be forced to move from the State,” Ms Seijka said.      :( “There is a very real risk that if things don’t go well – if there isn’t a job for them at the other end or if that job isn’t sustainable – then young people will be on the downward spiral to poverty and homelessness.” A member of the Mercury and Sunday Tasmanian’s Our Kids: Our Future campaign, Scott Cullen, 24, said he was not considering moving interstate to find work. “There are moving costs and trying to find somewhere to live,” he said. “If you can’t get a job you can’t live anywhere.”      :( Mr Cullen, of Claremont, said he had done two courses – in traffic control and construction – but had not worked since last year. University of Tasmania School of Social Sciences lecturer Brendan Churchill said Mr Abbott’s comments were a distraction from the issue of what the Government was going to do to create employment. “The Government needs to do more than say ‘just move somewhere else’,” he said.      ;) Brotherhood of St Laurence senior manager of Youth Programs Sally James said many young people did not have employment skills and would be wasting time if they relocated. Labor Senator Carol Brown said Mr Abbott should apologise to young Tasmanian jobseekers for suggesting they should leave to find a job. “Tasmania has some of the highest youth unemployment in Australia and the solution isn’t shipping our best and brightest young people off the island,” she said.      :( Employment Minister Eric Abetz said Tasmanians could not expect their fellow Australians to pay them to stay at home when there were suitable job opportunities for them elsewhere in Australia. “As we know, there have been many harvesting jobs go begging in Tasmania, which have been taken up by people that have travelled from the other side of the world,” he said. “More recently a delegation has gone to New Zealand to find farm workers at a time when we have the highest rate of unemployment.” Another non issue. Young people have been leaving country towns for decades going to larger regional cities to find employment so the thought is nothing new. A few years back when I was looking at moving to Tassie, when looking for work on Seek I discovered there was more available work in Townsville than in all of Tasmania and nothing since has changed. Abbott's common sense approach does not appeal to some it seems, perhaps a few more young Taswegians could make a guest appearance on Bogan Hunters instead.

Yes but back then you had income support to fund your move.....How do young people fund the move away from family support whilst they have no income???

:-? :-? :-?

philperth2010 wrote on May 25^th, 2014 at 10:38am:

chicken_lipsforme wrote on May 25th, 2014 at 10:32am: wrote on May 25th, 2014 at 7:18am: Facebook lights up over suggestion Tasmanians should leave to find work     NICK CLARK     Mercury     May 24, 2014 TASMANIANS have reacted swiftly and strongly to Prime Minister Tony Abbott’s suggestion that young unemployed people should move if they can’t find a job in Tasmania. The Mercury’s Facebook site and website were inundated with comments opposed to Mr Abbott’s statement in Hobart this week, that moving out of the state would not be the “worst outcome in the world’’. “People came to Tasmania in order to better their lives. So, I don’t think we should be necessarily heartbroken just because some people choose to move,” he said. The story on Facebook attracted almost 100,000 views. State Growth Minister Matthew Groom denied Mr Abbott’s comments were at odds with the State Government’s policy to expand the population to 650,000 by 2050. He said part of the policy to expand the economy was to attract people to the State. “We think it’s important to have ambition to grow the Tasmanian economy and growing our population is a big part of that,” he said. Youth Network of Tasmania chief executive Joanna Seijka said Mr Abbott’s comments failed to recognise the reality of the plight faced by many young Tasmanians. “Our young people need support, not to be forced to move from the State,” Ms Seijka said.      :( “There is a very real risk that if things don’t go well – if there isn’t a job for them at the other end or if that job isn’t sustainable – then young people will be on the downward spiral to poverty and homelessness.” A member of the Mercury and Sunday Tasmanian’s Our Kids: Our Future campaign, Scott Cullen, 24, said he was not considering moving interstate to find work. “There are moving costs and trying to find somewhere to live,” he said. “If you can’t get a job you can’t live anywhere.”      :( Mr Cullen, of Claremont, said he had done two courses – in traffic control and construction – but had not worked since last year. University of Tasmania School of Social Sciences lecturer Brendan Churchill said Mr Abbott’s comments were a distraction from the issue of what the Government was going to do to create employment. “The Government needs to do more than say ‘just move somewhere else’,” he said.      ;) Brotherhood of St Laurence senior manager of Youth Programs Sally James said many young people did not have employment skills and would be wasting time if they relocated. Labor Senator Carol Brown said Mr Abbott should apologise to young Tasmanian jobseekers for suggesting they should leave to find a job. “Tasmania has some of the highest youth unemployment in Australia and the solution isn’t shipping our best and brightest young people off the island,” she said.      :( Employment Minister Eric Abetz said Tasmanians could not expect their fellow Australians to pay them to stay at home when there were suitable job opportunities for them elsewhere in Australia. “As we know, there have been many harvesting jobs go begging in Tasmania, which have been taken up by people that have travelled from the other side of the world,” he said. “More recently a delegation has gone to New Zealand to find farm workers at a time when we have the highest rate of unemployment.” Another non issue. Young people have been leaving country towns for decades going to larger regional cities to find employment so the thought is nothing new. A few years back when I was looking at moving to Tassie, when looking for work on Seek I discovered there was more available work in Townsville than in all of Tasmania and nothing since has changed. Abbott's common sense approach does not appeal to some it seems, perhaps a few more young Taswegians could make a guest appearance on Bogan Hunters instead. Yes but back then you had income support to fund your move.....How do young people fund the move away from family support whilst they have no income??? :-? :-? :-?

Get the job first, stay in a hostel/caravan/pub until they can find something more permanent.

philperth2010 wrote on May 25^th, 2014 at 10:38am:

chicken_lipsforme wrote on May 25th, 2014 at 10:32am: wrote on May 25th, 2014 at 7:18am: Facebook lights up over suggestion Tasmanians should leave to find work     NICK CLARK     Mercury     May 24, 2014 TASMANIANS have reacted swiftly and strongly to Prime Minister Tony Abbott’s suggestion that young unemployed people should move if they can’t find a job in Tasmania. The Mercury’s Facebook site and website were inundated with comments opposed to Mr Abbott’s statement in Hobart this week, that moving out of the state would not be the “worst outcome in the world’’. “People came to Tasmania in order to better their lives. So, I don’t think we should be necessarily heartbroken just because some people choose to move,” he said. The story on Facebook attracted almost 100,000 views. State Growth Minister Matthew Groom denied Mr Abbott’s comments were at odds with the State Government’s policy to expand the population to 650,000 by 2050. He said part of the policy to expand the economy was to attract people to the State. “We think it’s important to have ambition to grow the Tasmanian economy and growing our population is a big part of that,” he said. Youth Network of Tasmania chief executive Joanna Seijka said Mr Abbott’s comments failed to recognise the reality of the plight faced by many young Tasmanians. “Our young people need support, not to be forced to move from the State,” Ms Seijka said.      :( “There is a very real risk that if things don’t go well – if there isn’t a job for them at the other end or if that job isn’t sustainable – then young people will be on the downward spiral to poverty and homelessness.” A member of the Mercury and Sunday Tasmanian’s Our Kids: Our Future campaign, Scott Cullen, 24, said he was not considering moving interstate to find work. “There are moving costs and trying to find somewhere to live,” he said. “If you can’t get a job you can’t live anywhere.”      :( Mr Cullen, of Claremont, said he had done two courses – in traffic control and construction – but had not worked since last year. University of Tasmania School of Social Sciences lecturer Brendan Churchill said Mr Abbott’s comments were a distraction from the issue of what the Government was going to do to create employment. “The Government needs to do more than say ‘just move somewhere else’,” he said.      ;) Brotherhood of St Laurence senior manager of Youth Programs Sally James said many young people did not have employment skills and would be wasting time if they relocated. Labor Senator Carol Brown said Mr Abbott should apologise to young Tasmanian jobseekers for suggesting they should leave to find a job. “Tasmania has some of the highest youth unemployment in Australia and the solution isn’t shipping our best and brightest young people off the island,” she said.      :( Employment Minister Eric Abetz said Tasmanians could not expect their fellow Australians to pay them to stay at home when there were suitable job opportunities for them elsewhere in Australia. “As we know, there have been many harvesting jobs go begging in Tasmania, which have been taken up by people that have travelled from the other side of the world,” he said. “More recently a delegation has gone to New Zealand to find farm workers at a time when we have the highest rate of unemployment.” Another non issue. Young people have been leaving country towns for decades going to larger regional cities to find employment so the thought is nothing new. A few years back when I was looking at moving to Tassie, when looking for work on Seek I discovered there was more available work in Townsville than in all of Tasmania and nothing since has changed. Abbott's common sense approach does not appeal to some it seems, perhaps a few more young Taswegians could make a guest appearance on Bogan Hunters instead. Yes but back then you had income support to fund your move.....How do young people fund the move away from family support whilst they have no income??? :-? :-? :-?

Just the same way young people have been moving out of the family cave for thousands of years.
It has been done before you know.

chicken_lipsforme wrote on May 25^th, 2014 at 10:57am:

philperth2010 wrote on May 25th, 2014 at 10:38am: chicken_lipsforme wrote on May 25th, 2014 at 10:32am: wrote on May 25th, 2014 at 7:18am: Facebook lights up over suggestion Tasmanians should leave to find work     NICK CLARK     Mercury     May 24, 2014 TASMANIANS have reacted swiftly and strongly to Prime Minister Tony Abbott’s suggestion that young unemployed people should move if they can’t find a job in Tasmania. The Mercury’s Facebook site and website were inundated with comments opposed to Mr Abbott’s statement in Hobart this week, that moving out of the state would not be the “worst outcome in the world’’. “People came to Tasmania in order to better their lives. So, I don’t think we should be necessarily heartbroken just because some people choose to move,” he said. The story on Facebook attracted almost 100,000 views. State Growth Minister Matthew Groom denied Mr Abbott’s comments were at odds with the State Government’s policy to expand the population to 650,000 by 2050. He said part of the policy to expand the economy was to attract people to the State. “We think it’s important to have ambition to grow the Tasmanian economy and growing our population is a big part of that,” he said. Youth Network of Tasmania chief executive Joanna Seijka said Mr Abbott’s comments failed to recognise the reality of the plight faced by many young Tasmanians. “Our young people need support, not to be forced to move from the State,” Ms Seijka said.      :( “There is a very real risk that if things don’t go well – if there isn’t a job for them at the other end or if that job isn’t sustainable – then young people will be on the downward spiral to poverty and homelessness.” A member of the Mercury and Sunday Tasmanian’s Our Kids: Our Future campaign, Scott Cullen, 24, said he was not considering moving interstate to find work. “There are moving costs and trying to find somewhere to live,” he said. “If you can’t get a job you can’t live anywhere.”      :( Mr Cullen, of Claremont, said he had done two courses – in traffic control and construction – but had not worked since last year. University of Tasmania School of Social Sciences lecturer Brendan Churchill said Mr Abbott’s comments were a distraction from the issue of what the Government was going to do to create employment. “The Government needs to do more than say ‘just move somewhere else’,” he said.      ;) Brotherhood of St Laurence senior manager of Youth Programs Sally James said many young people did not have employment skills and would be wasting time if they relocated. Labor Senator Carol Brown said Mr Abbott should apologise to young Tasmanian jobseekers for suggesting they should leave to find a job. “Tasmania has some of the highest youth unemployment in Australia and the solution isn’t shipping our best and brightest young people off the island,” she said.      :( Employment Minister Eric Abetz said Tasmanians could not expect their fellow Australians to pay them to stay at home when there were suitable job opportunities for them elsewhere in Australia. “As we know, there have been many harvesting jobs go begging in Tasmania, which have been taken up by people that have travelled from the other side of the world,” he said. “More recently a delegation has gone to New Zealand to find farm workers at a time when we have the highest rate of unemployment.” Another non issue. Young people have been leaving country towns for decades going to larger regional cities to find employment so the thought is nothing new. A few years back when I was looking at moving to Tassie, when looking for work on Seek I discovered there was more available work in Townsville than in all of Tasmania and nothing since has changed. Abbott's common sense approach does not appeal to some it seems, perhaps a few more young Taswegians could make a guest appearance on Bogan Hunters instead. Yes but back then you had income support to fund your move.....How do young people fund the move away from family support whilst they have no income??? :-? :-? :-? Just the same way young people have been moving out of the family cave for thousands of years. It has been done before you know.

Yet in the modern world transport and accommodation are not cheap.....I did not see anything in the budget for the construction of caves did you???

:-? :-? :-?

philperth2010 wrote on May 25^th, 2014 at 11:00am:

chicken_lipsforme wrote on May 25th, 2014 at 10:57am: philperth2010 wrote on May 25th, 2014 at 10:38am: chicken_lipsforme wrote on May 25th, 2014 at 10:32am: wrote on May 25th, 2014 at 7:18am: Facebook lights up over suggestion Tasmanians should leave to find work     NICK CLARK     Mercury     May 24, 2014 TASMANIANS have reacted swiftly and strongly to Prime Minister Tony Abbott’s suggestion that young unemployed people should move if they can’t find a job in Tasmania. The Mercury’s Facebook site and website were inundated with comments opposed to Mr Abbott’s statement in Hobart this week, that moving out of the state would not be the “worst outcome in the world’’. “People came to Tasmania in order to better their lives. So, I don’t think we should be necessarily heartbroken just because some people choose to move,” he said. The story on Facebook attracted almost 100,000 views. State Growth Minister Matthew Groom denied Mr Abbott’s comments were at odds with the State Government’s policy to expand the population to 650,000 by 2050. He said part of the policy to expand the economy was to attract people to the State. “We think it’s important to have ambition to grow the Tasmanian economy and growing our population is a big part of that,” he said. Youth Network of Tasmania chief executive Joanna Seijka said Mr Abbott’s comments failed to recognise the reality of the plight faced by many young Tasmanians. “Our young people need support, not to be forced to move from the State,” Ms Seijka said.      :( “There is a very real risk that if things don’t go well – if there isn’t a job for them at the other end or if that job isn’t sustainable – then young people will be on the downward spiral to poverty and homelessness.” A member of the Mercury and Sunday Tasmanian’s Our Kids: Our Future campaign, Scott Cullen, 24, said he was not considering moving interstate to find work. “There are moving costs and trying to find somewhere to live,” he said. “If you can’t get a job you can’t live anywhere.”      :( Mr Cullen, of Claremont, said he had done two courses – in traffic control and construction – but had not worked since last year. University of Tasmania School of Social Sciences lecturer Brendan Churchill said Mr Abbott’s comments were a distraction from the issue of what the Government was going to do to create employment. “The Government needs to do more than say ‘just move somewhere else’,” he said.      ;) Brotherhood of St Laurence senior manager of Youth Programs Sally James said many young people did not have employment skills and would be wasting time if they relocated. Labor Senator Carol Brown said Mr Abbott should apologise to young Tasmanian jobseekers for suggesting they should leave to find a job. “Tasmania has some of the highest youth unemployment in Australia and the solution isn’t shipping our best and brightest young people off the island,” she said.      :( Employment Minister Eric Abetz said Tasmanians could not expect their fellow Australians to pay them to stay at home when there were suitable job opportunities for them elsewhere in Australia. “As we know, there have been many harvesting jobs go begging in Tasmania, which have been taken up by people that have travelled from the other side of the world,” he said. “More recently a delegation has gone to New Zealand to find farm workers at a time when we have the highest rate of unemployment.” Another non issue. Young people have been leaving country towns for decades going to larger regional cities to find employment so the thought is nothing new. A few years back when I was looking at moving to Tassie, when looking for work on Seek I discovered there was more available work in Townsville than in all of Tasmania and nothing since has changed. Abbott's common sense approach does not appeal to some it seems, perhaps a few more young Taswegians could make a guest appearance on Bogan Hunters instead. Yes but back then you had income support to fund your move.....How do young people fund the move away from family support whilst they have no income??? :-? :-? :-? Just the same way young people have been moving out of the family cave for thousands of years. It has been done before you know. Yet in the modern world transport and accommodation are not cheap.....I did not see anything in the budget for the construction of caves did you??? :-? :-? :-?

Transport and accommodation have never been cheap.
Yet young people have always found a way to leave the nest.