Hi,

I am so glad you mentioned this kickemout.
I read it on the front page of The Australian (19.11.08) today.
It states there that it will be the child protection agencies will be the ones who will control this welfare issue as it is mainly targeting the ones who are known already to child protection services.
So I walked off thinking about it all.
More power to these docs type agencies! More power to the government.

I see the pros and cons to this.

At least it will be targeting the whites as well as the blacks so to avoid discrimination.

Then i thought all us who are branded 'bad parents' could end up with docs liaising with Centrelink.
I thought about myself in all this when docs were involved in my life.
I thought since docs involvement basically brought no benefits to our lives but physical, emotional and neglect style of abuse to my son whilst in foster care and I am left with a $20,000 bills to fight docs in court. So I had to remortgage my home for another $20,000. (How many times do I tell you this point!)

Hmmm, docs getting involved in my finances??

Inicdentally I am paying $525 per week in home loan repayments (which is about 3.8 the basic amount) - just so the viewers get an idea.

I do get around $50.00 per week from Centrelink because I am a single parent. It doesn't go on your financial situation but rather that you are a single parent so even if I grossed one million per annum I will always get this minimum benefit each week from Centrelink.

So then I thought I would like (in fantasy) to get a tatoo stamped on my forehead (where the 666 should go) and it should say this along with the docs file number -

BAD PARENT
#666


Anyway on the postitive side at least this control isn't going to just be for my dark skinned brothers alone.

I once worked in an aboriginal community as a registered nurse. I want to see how this new system works.
Will it work? I'll be surprised if it does.

I am concerned about this handout turning into a further control of these people. It does not empower people but will further stigmatize them. I can see dodgy dealings going on - black market stuff- swapping grocery vouchers for slabs of VB.

I want to see real statistics of the outcome of this after 12, 24, 36 months afterwards.

I am not convinced.

It is bit of a knee jerk reaction to get around the racist issue that this sort of thing brings.