main thing i'd say about the dole is that the gap to the disability pension is very bad.
the unemployed are almost encouraged by this system to make themselves more disabled by drinking, drug taking, showing signs of aggression or domestic violence. all of the above, when added to an application for disability pension form, add to the chances of it being granted.
and disability pension has
a greater base rate by far
major major savings with 1/2 price rates, electricity discounts, travel discounts, much more access to public housing etc.
the number of people ive seen on the dole who have told me they have taken a few overdoses of relatively harmless sleeping tablets , had a few ambulance trips to casualty, got some evidence they are pyschiatric and THEN been granted the pension.
not their fault,
if you set up a system to reward dysfunctional behaviour, you will get dysfunctional behaviour.
someone wrote a pamphlett on how to get on the disability pension using such strategies.
geez theyre dumb , those pollies and bureaucrats