The view from Billinudgel
The Bali executions are already taking a back seat to affairs of state
Industry groups call for a “complete reset” regarding the nation’s finances. But are they serious about reform?
Tony Abbott determined not to repeat Gough Whitlam’s mistakes in Queensland
University fee deregulation and why Christopher Pyne just can't let it go
Let me declare an interest. I smoked heavily until 1990, when I quit. I have not touched a cigarette for 24 years. I was diagnosed with throat cancer earlier this year, and have undergone 15 hours of surgery followed by a brutal program of chemotherapy and radiotherapy. The specialists assure me that smoking was
John Howard called it “mutual obligation”, but to most of us it was just work for the dole.
The idea was that those who received an unemployment benefit from the government had to do something to earn it. Usually that involved digging holes and filling them in again or other equally meaningless tasks.