Dear Tony, Bill,

Aware as we all are that thirty odd years of social engineering and an autocratic approach to the workforce in a diminishing job market have managed, rather than creating an egalitarian society here in Australia, to develop one of massive and escalating social and economic divides – I have decided to take upon myself the privilege of offering to you some solid policy proposals.

UNEMPLOYED:

Here is your Affirmative Action for real, and desperately overdue at this time:-

Where all else is equal (and the burden is on the employer to show this on challenge):-

a) The Unemployed receive preference in employment/promotion in full-time and part-time work.

b) The Partially Employed, in receipt of more than the equivalent of Newstart, are second in line for full-time work.

c)  Those in a socio-economic unit – i.e. family, single parent etc who already have income from one area (based on tax returns provided at job interview) – e.g. investments, business, work at home, etc, including the deemed 50% value of the input of a wife/husband – over the same Newstart level are in the same category.

d)  Those who are in receipt of income above that Newstart level on all counts are third in line when it comes to changing jobs etc.

e)  The length of time spent unemployed, as shown by Centrelink statements, dictates the seniority of the person employed, with the longest unemployed getting first bite.

f)  Accept without condition that Unemployment Benefits are a duty of government, based on its own increasing of the 'tax take' for many years to provide 'enhanced social welfare'.  Done deal – no argument, and I will not even go into the very real social and economic benefits from Unemployment Benefits in situ.  If you don't know those already, you are in the wrong job.

g)  On the same basis of social and economic benefits – it behoves you to cease the endless jihads against the Unemployed and to instead offer them incentives and a more fair system of income derived from work coupled with benefit.  Making people into criminals when they have nothing will eventually backfire on you all.

This policy intitiative will serve to bring down unemployment, will raise the overall standard of living more equitably, and will begin to undo the dreadful harm created by the now Mandatory Dual Income Family (MADIF)and other imposed policies, along with a number of other social issues that are in desperate need of resolution.

Put simply there is absolutely ZERO 'equality' in a workforce where 40-50% of applicants have no opportunity and are even actively excluded by policies of exclusion such as EEO, and unlike the failed EEO which has increased inequalities rather than improving them and has become blatant discrimination, these policy thrusts require a sunset clause.  I suggest two years, at which point the effect on Unemployment be reviewed and further decisions made on HOW they will be continued.





PENSIONS:-

a)  Accept without condition that Pensions are a duty of government, based on its own increasing of the 'tax take' for many years to provide 'enhanced social welfare'.  Done deal – no argument, and I will not even go into the very real social and economic benefits from pensions in situ.

b)  In determining the LEVEL (non-inclusive) at which existing family home will come into play in determining eligibility for Pension, make sure you very carefully guarantee that a house of median price  or below is NOT included.  You quite frankly have zero right to dictate to a Pensioner that he/she will sell his/her home or be punished by living in poverty.  Sensible level please and make sure it is reviewed annually.

c)  Retrospectively bring the politician etc pension plans into line with the rest of the community.
 That is:-
No pension will be drawn until retirement age or upon disability.
All such pensions currently paid below retirement age are to be repaid in full unless based on early retirement/disbility
These pensions to be treated in the same way as ordinary pensions, and calculated on income/assets at time of retirement in determination of level of pension
 Since these pensions receive a massive premium in benefit during (short) working life, they also receive the same rate of reduction when calculated against income/assets upon retirement.
Over a certain level of income/assets these pensions cease the same as those of the general public.

d)  Perhaps the time has come for the proportion of taxes etc intended to be spent on ALL Pensions/Unemployment Benefits etc to be placed in a separate account controlled by a separate body, and administered properly for the benefit of all Australians – and not in the current mode of weaseling out of responsibilities on government to pay these benefits by saying it is 'part of consolidated revenue' and thus is deemed to be subject to change on whim to suit any momentary policy or populist move by incumbent government.