http://www.reportageonline.com/2012/10/sorry-halal-meat-and-beef-noodle-soup-are-not-essential-household-items/ Magazine of the Australian Centre for Independent Journalism Mon, 20 May 2013 07:52:42 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 http://www.reportageonline.com/2012/10/sorry-halal-meat-and-beef-noodle-soup-are-not-essential-household-items/comment-page-1/#comment-6434 Daniel Tue, 26 Feb 2013 07:05:34 +0000 http://www.reportageonline.com/?p=15425#comment-6434 The scary thing is, when Abbott gets in he's pledged to extend the BasicCard nationwide as a mandatory scheme for the "long-term" unemployed. Not even on the pragmatic basis of "managing" people's income, but on the purely ideological basis of discouraging a "something for nothing" attitude. (http://www.liberal.org.au/Share/eBooks/StrongAustralia.pdf p.56). Who knows what it will cost to implement? $1 billion? $2 billion? $5 billion? It's bound to be a massive windfall for Woolies and Coles although I doubt the small business sector and the powerful AHA will be jumping for joy. When it does happen (it looks like it will, considering the current polls), it's going to be an absolute nightmare to administrate. Eg my real estate agent does not accept direct payment; cash, EFTPOS, BPay or otherwise. The only kind of payment it accepts is cash transfer into its NAB bank account. How would my Real Estate Agent deal with someone on a BasicsCard? Eviction probably. I'm sure there will be countless more examples like this. The scary thing is, when Abbott gets in he’s pledged to extend the BasicCard nationwide as a mandatory scheme for the “long-term” unemployed. Not even on the pragmatic basis of “managing” people’s income, but on the purely ideological basis of discouraging a “something for nothing” attitude. (http://www.liberal.org.au/Share/eBooks/StrongAustralia.pdf p.56).
Who knows what it will cost to implement? $1 billion? $2 billion? $5 billion? It’s bound to be a massive windfall for Woolies and Coles although I doubt the small business sector and the powerful AHA will be jumping for joy.
When it does happen (it looks like it will, considering the current polls), it’s going to be an absolute nightmare to administrate. Eg my real estate agent does not accept direct payment; cash, EFTPOS, BPay or otherwise. The only kind of payment it accepts is cash transfer into its NAB bank account.
How would my Real Estate Agent deal with someone on a BasicsCard? Eviction probably. I’m sure there will be countless more examples like this.

]]> http://www.reportageonline.com/2012/10/sorry-halal-meat-and-beef-noodle-soup-are-not-essential-household-items/comment-page-1/#comment-2319 Kris R. Fri, 19 Oct 2012 05:47:25 +0000 http://www.reportageonline.com/?p=15425#comment-2319 It seems to me that a lot of careful thought has gone into the Basics Card scheme, to ensure it provides quality welfare and support for Woolworths. The embedded advertising alone must be worth a few dollars I would think. And while small independently owned businesses are excluded, it not only denies people's rights to choose how and where they shop; to "shop around" for decent prices, it also takes customers from local fruit and veg, bakers, grocers, butchers etc This is how the scheme is undermining communities such as those in Bankstown and, particulary, I would think, those in remote areas and small towns. It seems to me that a lot of careful thought has gone into the Basics Card scheme, to ensure it provides quality welfare and support for Woolworths.
The embedded advertising alone must be worth a few dollars I would think. And while small independently owned businesses are excluded, it not only denies people’s rights to choose how and where they shop; to “shop around” for decent prices, it also takes customers from local fruit and veg, bakers, grocers, butchers etc This is how the scheme is undermining communities such as those in Bankstown and, particulary, I would think, those in remote areas and small towns.

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