Basics Card

[bootyinblue]

Anyone else see the Basics Card story and what do you think about certain dole recipients being given a card instead of cash to spend on staples and rent.

[pancakes_and_haggis]

saw the whole story, sat there shouting at the t.v

one guy had it spot on, its an assistance given by tax payers, not a sum of cash people should expect to spend as and how they wish.

[fishingnut]

Anyone else see the Basics Card story and what do you think about certain dole recipients being given a card instead of cash to spend on staples and rent.

Totally agree with it, best part was when that slapper said " What if I want to buy a cask of wine " lmao dont get the bottled stuff lady its for "Special" occasions......

[PlasticFantastic]

I think its a great idea as a welfare payment is for your welfare eg buying food and putting a roof over your head not for pissing down the drain or putting into pokie machines. Hate to sound harsh but if you dont agree with the idea of this card go out and get a job and you can then afford the luxuries that those who work enjoy.

Cheers

Mark

[haines490slc]

I agree in principal, however, one must ask the question, "what lengths will individuals go to in order to get their cigi's, goon etc etc"

[JarrydA]

I 100% agree with it and personally think it should be part of all government welfare.

It will stop the abusers, and wont affect the people that use their welfare for the right thing because the card will allow payment of bills and groceries etc.

[regulated]

There are always the unlucky ones out there that cant find work but I have lived with and beside dole bludgers for a fair while previously. All they did was play playstation full bore all day, massive parties until 4am and never tried to get work. They didn't even leave the house for two weeks on time. Once when the missus lost her bird she knocked on their door and there were underage girls there and heroin needles everywhere. Not real good for them or anyone else.

It is taxpayers money, it is supposed to be for a "new start". If they want to waste it on illegal activities get off it and get a job.

From what I understand only a portion is on the basics card so they can still go fishing if they need to.

I do feel sorry for the people who are genuine but. It is very difficult living on the allowance.

[ellicat]

How will they donate to World Vision and Save the Green Ant Foundation ?

[Eug]

think it's a good idea. only time will tell but i guess that dishonest retailers will only scan "alternate items of equal value" to attract customers.

[ellicat]

How will they buy me Christmas presents ?

How will they donate to AFO ?

[fishingnut]

There ya go tom

[crazywalrus]

At the kids will get food and cloths under this arrangement. To many kids go to school with empty tummys because mum and dad have smoked and drank all the money.

[fishingnut]

This is only for the Blacklisted people recieving benefits that have fallen behind in rent and not paying bills not for the regular people doing the right thing

[Gary_C]

I think it will likely go the same route as the EBT cards in the US went. The people who were using the welfare money properly will not be upset about it. The true dole bludgers will go to the grocery store, load up on prime cuts of meat, then sell them for cash so they get their money for booze and ciggys.

Personally, I believe that being on the dole should be inconvenient as I believe it is supposed to help people get a new (or a better) start, but some people abuse it. I'm not one to throw out the baby with the bath water, so I think the dole still needs to be there and be supported even if a few people are abusing it.

[rayke1938]

I assume that one of the strewth shows aired a biased and bigoted story on tonight's tv.

Not all people on social security payments are irresponsible with their money management and would be severely disadvantaged by the compulsory introduction of such a scheme.

The ones who are already wroughting the current scheme would soon find others to swap food for booze or dope.

Imagine if you are on the card and your allocated grocery stores are woolworths and coles in woodridge and you have to go to another town.

The only place that you can buy your groceries is at woodridge. Stiff.There is no incentive to enable these people to make their way back into mainstream society.

In my opinion it is just a political stunt to pander to the population at large without achieving anything apart from generating a few jobs for people to administer the scheme.

The cost of administering the scheme in NT was 25% of the total paid out in unemployment benefits in the whole of NT and the scheme was only applied to 20000 first nation people.

There are so many other worthy schemes crying out for funding and it is criminal that this is being introduced with the support of both major political parties.

Who is going to decide who goes on the scheme?

Alot of people in the NT were conned to join up and when they found out how disadvantaged they found out that they were locked in and could not opt out.

[e-fish-n-sea]

they have this in the uk for long term bludgers!!! My brother is on it he havent worked a day for 5 years nor his wife they still get booze by sellin the veg to people who want it.people soon learn how to play the system.

[Gary_C]

Thank you Ray. I was not aware of the extent of the restrictions on the program. If it becomes too restrictive, it just ends up being feel good legislation and not cost effective.

The EBT program with which I am more familiar is able to be used anywhere within the state that issued it so not so restrictive that it prohibits people from moving elsewhere to obtain work.

[shortie]

At the kids will get food and cloths under this arrangement. To many kids go to school with empty tummys because mum and dad have smoked and drank all the money.

Will stop the obesity problem we have in today's children

[tomca]

I hope KFC is on the list of approved food. I doubt people in Woodridge have access to any other food source.

[melrichsin]

Take a week off on holiday and I see a large can of worms....

I very much agree in concept, but as always how far will those that milk the system go to get what they want.

Considering my wife and I both work hard to afford a little bit more in life, then my sister her hubby and 2 kids moved over- first thing she said when she let us know she was pregnant with her 3rd was the increase of money she will get from the government (our &@#%ing taxes).

If you are old or disabled yes give them a hand- maybe a better idea would be to drug test those on the dole. You fail the pee test you lose your job in the real world- why not in the benefit world?

[crazywalrus]

I do not understand, yes they may get around the system but that requires effort. we are trying to get these people to try and get back in the work force. at the moment for the buldgers it is way to easy. I understand there are people that have difficulty working but they need to be on a different benefit. At the end of the day the dole is a temporary benefit while people look for work. I get calls from people every week with no intention of working for me just so they can say they tried. The problem is that people do not want the menial jobs anymore that is why Indian people drive taxis and work at 7 elevens.

[Dinodadog]

I agree with it, what ever political party is in place they are only trying to keep these people alive. In a lot of the northern towns they have about 80% unemployment work out the number in the town, then how many towns there are, then how much dole they get, now you know why the government is behind the eight ball before they start.

On a trip up north with the army a few years ago and another trip on my own it was easy to observe that dole day and the day after the pubs and clubs done a roaring trade, then these people whatever colour would starve themselves for a fortnight, this meant thier kids also. Very little money was spent on personal hygiene, clothes etc

You dont like taking peoples rights away but when they refuse to help themselves but want all the handouts to spend on booze and dope somebody has to step in.Other alternative is if these people if abel should be put to work for the dole cleaning up thier towns and if they work they are taken off the scheme.

[fishingnut]

This isn't a ruling for the people that genuinely need it, it's for blacklisted welfare recipients who repeatedly fail to pay rent and bills NOT a blanket ruling for all recipients

[Gad]

This isn't a ruling for the people that genuinely need it, it's for blacklisted welfare recipients who repeatedly fail to pay rent and bills NOT a blanket ruling for all recipients

Source; http://au.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20111022203810AAuG81i

Hi there, I'm XXXXX, I work at the Department of Human Services in a team responding to enquiries about Centrelink through social media sites like this one.

It's not compulsory for customers who are on welfare to have a BasicsCard. The BasicsCard is offered to customers when being placed onto income management. The Centrelink BasicsCard is an EFTPOS style, reusable card that can be used by customers on Income Management to spend their income managed money at approved stores and businesses.

Not all customers who are on welfare will become eligible for Income Management.

Income Management is designed to ensure that money provided for the welfare of individuals is spent on priority needs and expenses. There's information about Income Management on the Centrelink website here;

/>http://www.centrelink.gov.au/internet/in…

Income Management is currently operating in the whole of the Northern Territory, the Western Australian districts of Armadale, Cannington, Joondalup, Midland, Mirrabooka, Fremantle, Rockingham, Perth and the Kimberley region, and Queensland's Cape York communities.

The Child Protection, Vulnerable Welfare Payment Recipient and Voluntary Income Management measures are being extended to five new locations. The Place Based Income Management locations are Bankstown in New South Wales, Logan and Rockhampton in Queensland, Playford in South Australia and Shepparton in Victoria. Implementation of Place Based Income Management in those locations will commence from 1 July 2012.

The extension of Place Based Income Management will apply to people who have been referred by the State/Territory Child Protection Authority, people who have been referred by a Centrelink Social Worker, or people who volunteer for income management.

Hope that helps.

[bootyinblue]

Well... I was throwing things at the TV watching the story as it really got under my skin, well the 2 people fronting it did.

I dont beleive for one minute that people are unlucky and cant get a job. Anyone can get a job, but keeping it means you have to get up before midday to get to the place, put in a good days work, and lastly be polite to people and its the 'unlucky ones' that fall down in 1 or more of these.

Everyone except those on aged pensions and genuine disability pensions should be on the Basics Card. Play by the rules and an amount is freed up for luxury items, continue to play by the rules and more is freed up. If they dont like it they can opt out of the system and get a job.

[tomca]

Greg,

Have you ever noticed the harder you work, the luckier you seem to get?

[bootyinblue]

Yea... funny that!

50 hours of overtime in next fortnights pay should buy me donut with icing over a plain one.

[tomca]

Imagine how much porn your taxes will pay for someone out of the taxmans grab of that pay!

[rayke1938]

Yea... funny that!

50 hours of overtime in next fortnights pay should buy me donut with icing over a plain one.

Greg I suppose you are sitting in an unmarked flasher earning a bit more gravy now?

Cheers

Ray

[bootyinblue]

Mostly escorting wide loads to the mines. Done in our own time, and all expenses paid for by the contracting company.... before anyone jumps on the 'should be out on the road more' chesnut.

[haines490slc]

Notice you have moved the revenue raising van from the bus stop outside the caltex to the footpath outside the church lately. :whistle:

[Malcolm]

Greg,

Have you ever noticed the harder you work, the luckier you seem to get?

No I have not

[Malcolm]

sorry that was a question for Greg

[bootyinblue]

Notice you have moved the revenue raising van from the bus stop outside the caltex to the footpath outside the church lately. :whistle:

Pretty much couldn't be any further off the topic if you tried, but feel free to rehash your speed camera thread where you got all hung up on a bus stop versus a bus zone.

[fishingnut]

Please do that was some gooooood reading ....

[haines490slc]

Mostly escorting wide loads to the mines. Done in our own time, and all expenses paid for by the contracting company.... before anyone jumps on the 'should be out on the road more' chesnut.

and how is this on topic?? btw isn't it illegal to drive while tired, 50 hrs overtime is a lot of extra hours, hope you weren't behind the wheel tired :whistle:

[straddiebrad]

At the kids will get food and cloths under this arrangement. To many kids go to school with empty tummys because mum and dad have smoked and drank all the money.

too right ted you always see the adults with there good shoes i-phones and internet and yet the kids have no shoes and tatty pants and shirts ,they live like kings for a day,then cry poor the rest of it,they should do something and the sooner the better,and this baby bonus as if it goes for stuff for the babies what a joke,i know of a girl who gets 100 less then me and my wife but she is hard done by and complains because she has to wait a few hours at centerlink,haha its a joke.

[bootyinblue]

Mostly escorting wide loads to the mines. Done in our own time, and all expenses paid for by the contracting company.... before anyone jumps on the 'should be out on the road more' chesnut.

and how is this on topic?? btw isn't it illegal to drive while tired, 50 hrs overtime is a lot of extra hours, hope you weren't behind the wheel tired :whistle:

Basics card v's job, Gov money v's own money. opportunity to earn additional money. Starting to see the link there?

Show me where its illegal to drive while tired and we might both learn something, but thanks for your concern and Iwill show you my fatigue sheets if you wish to see them.