welfare must be reined in

Joe Hockey hit the headlines last week with his example of a single mother who is studying eligible for $54,417.

Welfare apologists derided him for cherry picking and went into apoplexy.

Today the Australian reports:

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/single-welfare-payment-no-longer-an-option/story-fn59niix-1226939283137#

Joe Hockey has tried to highlight the complexity in recent days by listing a dozen payments and supplements that can go to some individual recipients.

He cited the example of a single mother with two children who was getting $54,417 via myriad welfare payments.

Experts attacked the Treasurer’s claim, however, as an “incredibly rare” example, when most single mothers with two children were getting $35,000 to $40,000 a year.

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"Only" $40,000? $800 a week, untaxed? Oh well that's alright then.

There are lots of people who'd be happy to receive that much from the work they do; instead, their hard earned taxes go to pay for what is essentially a wage.

Yes welfare needs to be wound back so it is a safety net, not an alternative to work.