For an interesting recess activity watch/attend Back Benches this week
VOLUNTARY VS. COMPULSORY: The Voluntary Student Membership is set to pass Parliament. Will it gut the Student Unions? Does it keep financially-strapped students out of student activities? Or does it force the Student Unions to become more accountable? Does VSM mean Student Unions will become more democratic, more of what students want?
WORKING FOR WELFARE: The working welfare group has released its report. What’s proposed? Strict time limits on benefit, work-for-the-dole and solo mothers to work. What should be adopted? Is the benefit too easy to get? Is it too easy to stay on it? Or are we at the risk of being too cruel to our most vulnerable? Does the welfare system need a re-vamp? Can we afford the welfare system without changes? Is welfare a safety-net or an entitlement?
Join us for a night of LIVE pub politics from the Backbencher Pub: Wednesday, 1st of December 9pm or drink from 7ish. The panel: ACT on Campus Peter McCaffrey, Young Greens Co-Convener Holly Walker, Young Labour President Analiese Jackson, and Young Nats President Daniel Fielding.
I’m surprised the Young Gnats isn’t sending their perpetual member, The Penguin.
Yes, it will gut student unions!
!
Yes, they are being too cruel on the vulnerable!
Sick people don’t magically get well, some never will!
Solo parents already have a job – PARENTHOOD!
And the dole bunch are stuck there because there are no bleepin jobs!
!
Work for the dole = working for below minimum wage.
People have paid taxes to cover such circumstances as job losses and ill health.
The welfare safety net exists to protect, not to force people into slavery.
Create proper jobs, not pretend positions picking up litter.
That workfare should even be considered is a reflection on the failure of government to lead in the economy.
Should be a good show as I really like laughing at young nat and act supporters.
After their brief lives of privilege, they go on about all sorts of stuff they haven’t got the foggiest about – Like social justice and fairness.
Brilliant stuff
“Will it gut the Student Unions?”
Does it matter? People have lost their freedom not to donate to student unions.
“Does it keep financially-strapped students out of student activities?”
They’re there to learn. Not play hoops. If they want it they can pay for their union membership.
“Or does it force the Student Unions to become more accountable?”
Yes.
“Does VSM mean Student Unions will become more democratic, more of what students want?”
Democracy? Man, that’s something I’m really sick of hearing about. Democracy this and democracy that.
“What should be adopted?”
All of it.
“Is the benefit too easy to get?”
Yes.
“Is it too easy to stay on it?”
Heck yes.
“Or are we at the risk of being too cruel to our most vulnerable?”
You have to be cruel to be kind when dealing with dole bludgers.
“Does the welfare system need a re-vamp?”
If it didn’t we wouldn’t have had a WWG. So yes.
“Can we afford the welfare system without changes?”
A billion dollars a month in the hole? I’d say, no, we can’t.
“Is welfare a safety-net or an entitlement?”
Safety net. It’s become a hammock, though.
Good point Al1ens, we have already paid for welfare!
I remember Rebecca (teehee
)
Loans interest free
Our education is a right
Learning is good, and to all of you goodnight!
Education as a right? That’s a tenant of the Soviet constitution. Good place to take pointers from, I suppose.
Goodnight at 5:14 Spud. Whats wrong?
Nothing, I was just rhyming.
But then I actually did fall asleep at some point, very tired tonight. 
I need another laugh, LOL
, laughing day is almost over.
Mr I. Many of those poor bleeps are keen to work!
The benefit too easy to get? I doubt it!
Why don’t you do some investigating then Spud. It ain’t as hard as it should be.
Aw, it’s not like the poor bleeps should have to donate a kidney to get on!