Welfare

Welfare: statutory procedure or social effort designed to promote the basic physical and material well-being of people in need.

As one of the great social welfare states there is a lot to be proud of, relative to the rest of the world, and the rest of history.

However, there are some significant problems.

  1. Some people/families fail to make ends meet from the benefits they receive
  2. Support focuses on getting people off benefits

Surely getting people off benefits is the goal. Yes, it is. But the approach is wrong. Rather than trying to rescue people from the lowliness of their situation, our preferred approach is to let them master their situation, and seek better.

With a combination of education and enforced money management (debit cards that can’t be spent on alcohol or converted to cash), people can regain pride and fiscal positivity – and this will lead to a more positive outlook and a choice to get a job.

Regarding education, it needs to start in high school. A set of principles on how to survive economically needs to be taught. For example:

  • Hire purchase and its relatives cost much more in the long term
  • Buying a $2000 V8 car won’t work out nearly as well as a $4000 1.5 litre car
  • Stay with your parents and save up for a deposit
  • Taking a packed lunch can save $5000 per year

Welfare payments via a special debit card is something to not treat simplistically. The introduction of such a card means that many people will suddenly have to do without certain items that they used on a regular basis – alcohol, gambling and perhaps cigarettes. The preferred approach would be to make the card optional, and for welfare recipients to make that choice after receiving advice and support.

Rather than punishing people on welfare for things they do wrong (not applying for enough jobs / getting part-time work), they should be rewarded for things they achieve. If you get some part-time work, you should get to keep your benefit at the same level (for a while) and even be given a bonus for making such an achievement.

Survey

We propose a substantial survey of people on benefits to see how well or poorly the social welfare system is working for them. Extensive surveys, which take perhaps 1-2 hours per person, for thousands of welfare recipients. Run by a non-government third party, preferably a trusted charitable institution like the Salvation Army, with guaranteed complete anonymity.

The end result would perhaps identify sub-groups of recipients who have special needs that are not being catered for. And it could make a fact-based report on whether being a bludger, or using the benefit for drugs and alcohol that is detrimental to their job prospects, is widespread or a myth or in-between.

Then voters can make informed decisions when choosing parties that will treat welfare appropriately.