Massive welfare overhaul with new Government?

[Br.IanVonTurpie]

http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/dole-payments-mp-george-christensen-wants-dole-payments-cut-after-six-months/news-story/61d03a242118d3ec3b3d46c554620359

DOLE recipients would have their payments cut after six months under a proposal to help offset the cost of keeping more generous superannuation tax concessions for the well off.

LNP MP George Christensen will submit the plan to the Nationals partyroom and raise it directly with Social Services Minister Christian Porter.

Mr Christensen, a strong opponent to the Turnbull Government's $6 billion superannuation reforms, said the Government could reverse some of the changes by taking an axe to the welfare system. The cost of Newstart — the dole — has reached almost $9 billion a year.

Speaking exclusively to The Sunday Mail, Mr Christensen said people on Newstart and those under the age of 45 years should be given six months to find a job — and if they failed they would be on their own.

Regional areas in Queensland have stubbornly high youth unemployment rates despite local farmers and business requiring backpackers or overseas workers to fill vacancies.

"We squibbed it last time,'' Mr Christensen said, referring to the first Abbott government budget that tried to force the unemployed to wait six months before getting payments.

"Maybe if they know their dole will run out in six months they'll go and get a job."

Asked what the unintended consequences could be, Mr Christensen said he didn't know, but "you can't just throw your hands up in the air and say I don't know what to do".


He said he was annoyed by the dramatically-high cost of unemployment benefits at a time when farmers had complained a backpacker tax would devastate their businesses. The Government announced in its 2015/16 Budget that it would set a flat tax rate of 32.5 per cent on backpacker earnings.

"We need to take welfare and unemployment benefits,'' Mr Christensen said.

"We've got farmers up our ribs about the backpacker tax. Every single farmer says 'it will kill us' because we won't have any labour."

He said business owners have told him some unemployed people tried to get sacked after a short period so they could go back on welfare.

He said he was annoyed by the dramatically-high cost of unemployment benefits at a time when farmers had complained a backpacker tax would devastate their businesses. The Government announced in its 2015/16 Budget that it would set a flat tax rate of 32.5 per cent on backpacker earnings.

"We need to take welfare and unemployment benefits,'' Mr Christensen said.

"We've got farmers up our ribs about the backpacker tax. Every single farmer says 'it will kill us' because we won't have any labour."

He said business owners have told him some unemployed people tried to get sacked after a short period so they could go back on welfare.

oh boy! Is this going to kick up a hornet's nest! Not enough jobs to go around! Wonder if the boong's at going to be put to work too?!
Perhaps if the farmers want to pay the appropriate wages then people will want the jobs?!