I hate the handout mentality, and even more so the entitlement mentality of some of those who receive handouts, but I’m not sure this is a good idea – and doubt it will sell politically:

    TONY Abbott has proposed banning the dole for people under 30 in a bid to entice the unemployed to head west and fill massive skill shortages in the booming resources sector.

I certainly think there needs to be strict control over who receives these benefits (though I’m informed it’s a lot harder to receive them than it once was – particularly for those young people still living at home), but I don’t think this is the answer. There are many other issues which could improve both the budget bottom-line, and encourage increased employment and productivity amongst our youth. Here are a few thoughts which spring to mind:

    * Crack down on the ever-increasing rates of people on Disability Support Pension;

    * Stop thinking everyone should go to university – or year 12, for that matter. Governments on both sides boast about how they’ve increased percentage of students completing year 12, or a uni degree, but how is this a measure of success?;

    * Maybe we should make unemployment benefits a HECS-style loan (or would this deter people from ever finding work?);

    * Mandatory unemployment insurance? (OK, I hate this idea – it’s un-libertarian, and wouldn’t be much help to young people anyway… just putting it out there).

Any other thoughts?