After reading the last 4 pages I have realised that most of the posts are by Americans citing the Civil Rights Laws and racist this and that.
You have pretty much NO IDEA about what is happening in Outback Communities.
Its more than just cutting welfare payments to parents who spend it on alcohol and not sending their kids to school. Mr Howard is also targeting child sexual abuse and incest THAT IS ENDEMIC in some outback communities. Its also about a lack of suitable housing, and how upwards of 10+ family members are squeezing in a standard 3 bedroom house (and increasing the chances of sexual abuse).
If what Mr Howard is doing seems to be racially motivated - its not. Its about a desperate situation demanding a desperate solution, and if it means
cutting welfare payments so that children can go to school then so be it. If it means sending in the Army too help police outback communities and increase security so be it.
But its the underlying problems of outback communities that has to be solved first. Communities need to make a stand that sexual abuse, alcohol abuse and solvent abuse will no longer be tolerated, and that the perpetrators need either counseling or serious prison time. (And it wont happen overnight either - some of it is so ingrained that its like a way of life. And if its being done by Tribal Elders, then a "Code of Silence" is expected.)
However, the introduction of Opel Fuel to the outback is a significant step in the right direction. Granted it wont stop the hard-core solvent abusers, but it WILL stop others from starting.
Last edited by -101-InvaderZim (2007-06-28 02:26:19)