RE: https://aus.social/@mojo/116359971880546285
"Yet, unlike the US, Australia did not gut its social safety net. We deliver top-tier health outcomes, provide robust support to low-income earners and maintain a high-quality public education system."
What crack is Robert Breunig smoking when none of the above is true?
#AusPol
Australia's "top-tier health outcomes". When this is top-tier, I'd hate to see bottom tier.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-04-07/act-paraplegic-woman-stranded-for-19-months-due-to-aged-care-bed/106528228
Robust support to low incomes? Is that what we're calling #robodebt now? The "robust support" of constantly harrassing you + threatening prison for money you don't owe?
#AusPol #Australia
@mojo @BestPreston
@gusseting
I skimmed the original article and looked at the author's bio. He seems to be one of the people who designed the system he wants to defend.
I believe means testing is used as a way of punishing people for needing help by adding complexity and difficulty.
Robodebt was an example of this. Experts advised against it, it was a financial net negative, it was a choice based in ideology. The government was willing to spend a lot of money to make life difficult for people who had needed government assistance.
Sometimes I have not persued benefits I would have been entitled to because of the hostility of the application and means testing system. The system working as intended.
gusseting
Melbourne Bitter