And they call themselves leaders

We seem to be treating our unemployed a bit like how we treat asylum seekers - very very badly.  And for similar reasons.

How on earth is the unemployment benefit of $35/day sufficient to sustain someone?  Everyone who knows anything about the facts of unemployment knows that this is a paltry and insufficient amount.  Especially if we expect unemployed people to both live *and* chase down a new job.

And anyone who has had any experience with CentreLink knows that the most humane thing we could do would be to close it down and euthanise it.  After we have built and staffed a modern social security service delivery organisation.  As if.

And yet anyone and everyone who could do anything about it - won't.  They are all too busy posing for photo's in fluoro vests while standing near unused shovels - and sucking up to warmongers ;-)

Both Abbott and Gillard are locked in a race to the bottom - all to demonstrate who is the meanest and harshest and most unworthy of our vote.  They think that we don't have any choice and will select one of them when next we use a pencil in a polling booth.

Bill Shorten the actual Minister won't support an increase - while telling all and sundry that he can't survive on his $330k per year.

Mike Smith the ANZ CEO is earning $23,000/day but says that $35/day is far too much for the unemployed.

And on it goes as our leaders and the rich try to win brownie points with the nearly "one third of our population" who are - authoritarians.

Oh did you miss it too? The reason politicians do it is to capture every last vote from these people - with more here and here.

PS - Update here.

PS2 - Another update here.