Under the banner No Benefits to working Caroline Overington inadvertantly underlines one of our society’s problems.

An analysis by the Brotherhood of St Laurence found a sole parent of two school-age children who takes a 30-hour-a-week job at the minimum wage of $13 an hour would lose about 64per cent of their extra earnings. “This parent will also have to pay around $60 a week for childcare,” the Brotherhood’s executive director Tony Nicholson said.

“This leaves him or her approximately only $80 a week better off by working. They are effectively working for an hourly rate of $2.66. The Government has squibbed. People want to move from welfare to work but the budget doesn’t encourage it.”

That entire arguement justifies staying on welfare and ignores the values of work itself. The increasing self esteem and the resultant self confidencethat often leads to promotion or permanent work and the fact that receiving a wage is the entry key to superannuation

“This leaves him or her approximately only $80 a week better off by working. They are effectively working for an hourly rate of $2.66.”

Rubbish! They are working for a better life – the $2.66 figure will only frighten welfare recipients as they discuss their situation with others in the dole queue. They need to be encouragement, not sympathy.

The ACTU President, Sharan Burrow has slammed tonights budget thus confirming, in my mind at least, that it’s good for the country.

On cue GREENPEACE also slammed (there sure is a lot of slamming going on) the Budget as failing once again to make any mention of climate change.

Greenpeace Australia campaigns manager Danny Kennedy said climate change was the most important environmental issue of our times.

Climate change is obviously the most important environmental issue in Danny’s times but thankfully the government is sticking to the old rule of not pandering to every whacko group in the country. THE Australian Industry Group says this year’s budget is good for business. Group chief executive Heather Ridout welcomed changes to superannuation which aim to encourage people to stay longer in the workforce but thinks the government should have spent more on infrastructure. I agree with her; even though the government has allocated 2.3 billion for infrastructure it is never enough.

Australian Democrats leader Lyn Allison says that by handing out tax cuts to all, the Government is simply trying to win votes in the lead-up to the next election.

“There’s not much here that’s about nation-building or for future generations,” she said.

I’m not an economist but putting $18 billion into the Future fund – which has been set up to cover unfunded public servants’ superannuation – as an initial payment and planning for about 140 billion by 2020 looks a bit like building for future generations to me.

And don’t forget the old “It’s not very equitable, we’re seeing the biggest tax cuts for the highest income earners” line. I’m not a mathmetician either but somewhere in my dim dark schooldays where I learnt maths on a slate I seem to recall that percentage cuts are firstly, the smartest way to deliver some taxes back to the people and secondly, will always be bigger for the bigger income earners. It’s about maths.

Lyn goes on throwing mud;

“We’re seeing the budget for defence and security outstripping education by $2 billion and that does say it all in terms of what the Government’s priorities are,” she said.

This despite an overall funding boost of $21.7 billion for the education, science and training sector.

The Federal Opposition is supporting the federal Budget’s tax cuts, saying the changes mirror those proposed by the Opposition. Or, we thought of it first and would’ve implimented the same cuts if……..

The ABC says “We think it’s fairly describable as our best Budget outcome in over 20 years.” Well thats what the chairman of the ABC, Donald McDonald says but Kerry and Tony will be hammering slamming it tomorrow night.

With my background I welcome any additional funding for national security as much as the Greens, the Democrats and other assorted whackos hate it. C-17 Aircraft (to carry the new tanks and much, much more) more money for more troops and more money for the troops with pay rises. More ASIO operators ($800 million) and about $500 million extra for border security. That should wind up the refugee activists.

The “My particular hobby horse/religion/group/activist mob/doomsayers/ didn’t get enough” mob will be out in force tomorrow and all lined up at the ABS and SBS but otherwise I think it’s a reasonable 11th budget for Costello.

60 Minutes Richard Carlton’s last words

“On 26th October last year, not 10 metres from where these men are now entombed, you had a 400-tonne rock fall. Why is it, is it the strength of the seam, or the wealth of the seam, that you continue to send men into work in such a dangerous environment?”

Typically Carlton was trying to pin the blame for the disaster in the mining company,  but let’s face it they continue to send men into work in such dangerous environments because they are miners and the company’s business is mining. Left wing shock journalism will never be the same. I won’t miss him but I’m sure his family and fans will be devastated and I feel sorry for them……well Ok…. I feel sorry for his family.

From Defence Media

An Australian soldier serving with the Special Forces Task Group in Southern Afghanistan has returned to Australia for medical rehabilitation and recovery after being wounded in action.

The soldier was wounded during an engagement with anti-coalition militia elements.

According to the media the rescue of the two miners seems to be more about Shorten and his push for a seat and Eddie McGuire and Channel Nine’s ratings than an actual rescue. Channel Seven are in there fighting and six figure sums are being pencilled in media checque book stubs while Peter Meaking adopts the seldom held moral position (by the media at least) and suggests;

it was “tacky in the extreme” for The Age to try to measure one interview against another, he said. “To put a price on their salvation I reckon is pretty tacky.”

when The Age mentions how much Wood was paid for interviews after being released from captivity in Iraq. Woods got $400k and I can see how Meaking and McGuire would rather start the bidding at $250k. Yep, you’re right, I don’t like chequebook journalism. Me, I think it’s all about two guys who have gone through hell with a view of heaven through a small apperture. My thoughts go out to the family of the third miner, Larry Knight, who is hardly mentioned by the talking heads of commercial TV, and who only got to see as far as hell. Hang in there guys and enjoy your rebirth when your mates finally drill through.