" Unworthy " Denied Welfare ?

One of this weeks budget proposals will strike a chill of fear into the hearts of the many charities that service this country's " battlers ".  It is suggested that some welfare applicants be subjected to compulsory drug testing and those that test positive have their payments suspended.

The details have yet to be worked out, but at this stage a trial seem to be a certain.  The budget papers say that five thousand will be randomly selected from three trial sites - which are yet to be chosen.  The most likely method used to select a site will include chemical testing of the matter in the sewer which can deliver a detailed analysis of each individual drug type and which will specifically identify a suburb containing many drug users.

The proposal is silent on the specifics of what happens if a welfare applicant tests positive for drugs but on the first occasion there will probably be a warning issued.  If a second follow-up test also  proves positive payments will be refused for a period of time, and further payments will depend entirely on the testing remaining negative.

Of course, that term " drugs " can be widely interpreted.  A citizen who is addicted to ICE or Heroin is unlikely to be successful in gaining a job, but the term could also apply to a recreational user of Marijuana or someone who still has a high degree of alcohol in their system after a weekend on the booze.  Then there are the people suffering panful disabilities who have become addicted to the legal prescription drugs that give them relief.  Most likely the pass/failure line will be determined by bureaucrats consulting a chart set by an autocrat.

It seems we are entering a new era where we must be " worthy " to access the benefits of the welfare state.  We already have a steady stream of homeless people living on the streets and many of these have been refused welfare for one reason or another.  Their needs are serviced by the many charities who manage to put welcome meals together and hand out blankets and warm clothing.   The prospect of drug testing adding further numbers is daunting.

The whole purpose of " welfare " is supposed to be a safety net. In some cases a drug affected person is the provider for children, and when those welfare payments stop - so does the food supply.  The public purse is not bottomless and many people managed to rid themselves of the drug habit.   That s a painful process and the medical profession accepts that there will be reversals - and that if takes time.

There will also be " unintended consequences " if this drug testing regime sees many people turned away by Centrelink.  Drug dependency is already the motive for much of the break and enter type crime experienced in this country and more recently there has been an upsurge of assault and robbery in street crime.   Desperate people resort to desperate measures and the refusal of welfare payments will have consequences.

It is easy to play the " blame game " and claim that drug users have themselves to blame for their addiction, but drugs are a scourge in all sections of society.  If we shut all that need our help out of compassion we may find we have a more threatening society than we intended.