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Screen shot 2012 04 20 at 1.04.16 PM News: When parents spy on their kids.

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SPY GAMES AS PARENTS KEEP TABS ON KIDS

Some 41 per cent of Australian parents admitted to ‘spying’ on their children using social media. Digital security company AVG Technologies surveyed 4400 parents in 11 countries to see what kind of a record they kept of their children.

Michael McKinnon, Security Advisor at AVG (AU/NZ) Pty Ltd, said, “AVG’s latest research encourages us to consider whether Facebook and other social networking sites are creating a new kind of parental relationship, or whether we are in effect spying on our teens? These sites are providing parents with new methods to monitor what their kids are doing without necessarily having to be ‘heavy handed’ or to quiz their child directly.”

Just over half think schools are doing an adequate job at teaching Internet safety and skills.

So, what do you reckon?

Screen shot 2012 04 20 at 9.30.24 AM News: When parents spy on their kids.

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REAL DOCTORS WARN AGAINST ‘GOOGLE DIAGNOSIS’

Actual doctors have warned would-be patients against diagnosing themselves on Google, saying it could have terrible counsequences.

NSW Australian Medical Association medical director Dr Robyn Napier said diagnosis through the popular search engine could have devastating consequences.

“It’s a serious problem,” she said. “When you take a symptom out of context of the whole body you can’t possibly diagnose.”

Some 80 per cent of Australians used the search engine to check their symptoms and decide what is wrong with them, sometimes without seeking any follow-up medical opinion.

- As Mia Freedman wrote, Google is not the same as science.

WORK COMPO FOR HOTEL SEX INJURY

Remember this one? Well, we have a winner.

A woman who was hit by a falling light fixture while having sex in her hotel room on a work trip has won compensation for the incident. Justice John Nicholas found she was injured ‘during the course of her employment’.

The light was attached to the wall above the bed. The male partner said in his statement they were ‘going hard’ and he wasn’t sure whether they bumped it or it fell off.

THE WEEK IN PICS: is a hotbed of sublime supermodels (she’s 83), amazing artists and photos that will boggle the mind.

Is 83-year-old Daphne Selfe the world's oldest supermodel? She's still walking catwalks and says she's never had any cosmetic surgery. (Photoshopped image.)

HOCKEY SAYS AGE OF ‘ENTITLEMENT’ IS OVER

Shadow treasurer Joe Hockey has warned Australians need to wean themselves off welfare if the Australian Government is to remain on a solid economic footing. He even aimed his sights at the Howard Government which he said offered too much welfare to too many for short term political gain. His comments cited nations in Europe that spent close to 30 per cent of their Gross Domestic Product on welfare, health and pensions. The figure in Australia is about 16 per cent.

“We need to be ever vigilant. We need to compare ourselves with our Asian neighbours where the entitlements programs of the state are far less than in Australia,” he told Lateline.

He said the welfare measures under Howard were ‘fuelled by short-term electoral cycles and the political outbidding of your opponent’.

The Prime Minister leaped on the remarks, saying: “Mr Hockey was saying to Australian families that if you feel entitled to your family payments, that if you feel entitled to your child care support, if you feel entitled to things like Medicare, well you shouldn’t.

“Because Mr Hockey believes there should be widespread cutbacks to those very services and supports that families rely on.”

Opposition Leader Tony Abbott said Hockey was making the ‘very obvious point’ that governments have to live within their means.

GregHam 380x213 News: When parents spy on their kids.

Greg Ham

MEN AT WORK STAR FOUND DEAD

Homicide detectives are at the Melbourne home of Men at Work band member Greg Ham who was found dead yesterday morning. However police won’t say whether the circumstances of his passing are suspicious or not, only that there are ‘unexplained issues’. The band are most famous for their classic hit Down Under which was most recently the subject of a copyright infringement with a court finding the flute riff was almost exactly the same as the children’s song Kookaburra.

Comments

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163 Comments so far

  1. Anonymous

    The thing that I get cross about when it comes to the people that I’ve known who were/are on welfare, is the way that they look at their financial situation.

    If they get offered a job they always factor in and deduct their welfare payment before they look at what they would earn.

    I am just making these figures up….

    If they are getting $500 a fortnight welfare and the pay for the job is $650 a fortnight, they deduct $500 from $650 and say that they are not going to work for $150 a fortnight…that no one should expect them to work for $150 a fortnight, because who works for a low amount like that.

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    • Kris2040

      One thing may be that it may well not be worth the extra money. If you’re getting Centrelink payments, you usually have concession cards for medications, public transport, some other stuff. If taking a job that pays a bit over what they receive cuts them off from that, it may mean they’re ending up with the same amount?

      Not saying it’s right or wrong, just putting it out there as a method to their madness.

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      • Anonymous

        If welfare payments mean that it’s not worth it to get a real job, then welfare payments are too high.

        You wrote…
        “If taking a job that pays a bit over what they receive cuts them off from that, it may mean they’re ending up with the same amount?”

        But if they can get a job that pays the same amount of course they should still take it. Welfare is meant to be a prop, not a “hey I get enough to live, why give up my life of leisure by working for the same amount”.

        The more that people say that welfare should equal a reasonable standard of living the more people won’t give up the welfare to work for the same amount of money.

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        • lucindainthesky

          I think the key is to look at every situation individually. Are there people who turn down jobs when they shouldn’t, or who don’t look for jobs and just jot anything down in their diaries? Absolutely.

          But put it this way. If you had the choice between struggling and eating 2 minute noodles on welfare payments, and struggling, eating 2 minute noodles and working a job that you hate, which would you choose? Some of us would be lean toward working, but I can vouch for something:

          When you are trying find work and there are a more people than jobs, and particularly when you are skilled and being knocked back for jobs you are more than qualified to do, you end up depressed or mentally less than your best very quickly… and sometimes that means you don’t care whether you work or not, sometimes you feel so low you don’t want to get out of bed and function at all.

          Lowering welfare payments so people can’t meet the basic cost of living won’t get them a job any faster. However I do think it would send people into a mentally unsound state faster and make them less able to actively seek work to the best of their ability. Really, in my opinion if the only job someone can get is one that pays less or the same as welfare, then that speaks more about the job situation in this country than it does about welfare, because welfare payments are lucky to cover the basic cost of living. For most people it doesn’t even do that.

          I think we have to remember that while we have probably all come across someone who has been receiving welfare payments that have had no desire to work or even played the system to their advantage, that it isn’t the case for most people who have received or are receiving payments.

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  2. Loop

    I don’t mind a bit of Dr Google. I used Google to figure out what my silent migraines were (visual disturbances) which was confirmed by a doctor, and also diagnosed a bacterial infection which was confirmed by a doctor, and same antibiotics I was expecting were prescribed :D !

    That said, I also do often come away thinking I have cancer …

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  3. Faybian

    I used Dr Google just before I made an appt for my first (of many) head CT” I looked up one particular symptom that had prompted the dr to write out the request form and because of what I read, I rang the X-ray clinic the next day. I looked up meningioma a couple of times once I knew about it, but no more. The search results were scary (particularly the academic/medical ones) and I thought you could easily become obsessive about it.
    That’s IMO the biggest problem. The potential to become obsessive about using dr google….and then not doing anything about it if your results indicate you may have a problem.

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  4. GG

    I hate Doctor Google! i had to ban myself from googleing after i convinced myself that i had bowel cancer and spent the rest of the week losing sleep from stress

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  5. Mimblebimble

    Lol re the Dr Google thing . A good friend of mine is a senior doctor in a major hospital and even SHE uses google to identify her own symptoms in areas she doesn’t specialise in – and get’s her diagnosis wrong!

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  6. Amandarose

    I do a bit of Dr Googling if I have an odd issue just to get my head around possibilities.
    Then I figure out what may be the problem. Then I decide I am a hypochondriac and need a life and ignore myself often to my detriment.

    As a health professional I feel confinement and objective with other people. But myself or my family I tend to write myself off as crazy and do not trust my instincts. I had hypothyroidism possibly for years and ignored my suspicions as the symptoms are a bit generic and I felt embarrassed to see a G.P and for them to tell me tired is just life- your stressed and need to excercise more.
    I am a terrible patient as I hover between critiquing the G.P I. My head for poor performance, worry I will look stupid and I should know better and down playing symptoms I reckon they will roll their eyes at( like tired and fat which every one seems to be these days).

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  7. hayleyjane90

    Doctor Google is the worst! You can’t walk away from it without diagnosing yourself with cancer!
    That being said, some medication I have been on was causing my hair to fall out. After several trips to the doctors they still wouldn’t entertain my concerns as it wasn’t listed as a side effect, telling me that it was simply stress. I knew this wasn’t the case, I had been stressed before and this hit when I started the medication. I don’t just mean I was malting, I mean I’m 21 and my hair is falling out!!
    Yesterday I finally convinced the doctor to switch my medication and am praying to God it works.

    When I got home I finally googled cymbalta + hairloss.
    Turns out I’m not losing my mind – a number of people have had the same experience!

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    • Caris

      Good luck with the medication switch!

      I agree it’s bad to take a Google diagnosis as gospel but it can be great in finding out about side affects, I was on medication that caused two separate side affects and it was through Google that I found out they related to my medication so I could query my doctor about it.

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    • eternally

      Not saying cymbalta doesn’t cause hair loss, I don’t know. But it is important to be careful about the conclusions you draw, just because some other people (out of the many who have taken the drug) have experienced hair loss (a fairly common problem in the general population) doesn’t prove causation.

      On the other hand, certainly reasonable to try another drug, just in case.

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    • Lil

      I have experienced hairless recently and find it most distressing. I also take Cymbalta and have been on the drug for about ten months. I have raised the possibility of a link with my doctor but it has been dismissed. I am just about to visit Dr Google to see what I can find out.

      Thanks hayleyjane90 for raising this and sharing your experience. Best of luck with the new medications

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      • hayleyjane90

        I’m glad I could give you some reinforcement of your thoughts.
        It’s incredibly distressing – particularly given that we’re not on that medication because things are going great! I’m so sorry that you have something else to deal with.
        I also experienced a huge drop in my sex drive so I think that it might be something as simple as a hormonal imbalance.

        I honestly believe a switch in medication will assist. I’m switching to Pristiq. Will let you know if there is an improvement!

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  8. Reddie

    Could I take the disability/Centrelink discussion in a slightly different direction?

    According to the Lifewise/NATSEM Underinsurance Report, underinsurance (and lack of insurance) will cost the Federal Government $1.3 billion over the next 10 years. Couple this with 800,000 people on the disability pension and act very surprised.

    I used to talk to people about insurance for a living. It was very frustrating trying to explain to people that they were not bullet proof (Here is a clue – ther is a 100% chance that you will die one day. You are not the extra special person who will be immune to this). And I won’t bore you with the number of people that walk into the office asking for cover now that they have just been diagnosed with cancer/MS/bad heart etc and are offended because they are no longer eligible for cover (insurance companies will not cover you for absolute certainties).

    One of the strongest and most distressing views was that there was no need to take out income protection because the Australian government, and parents, will pick up the pieces. Really? You would do that to your parents?

    Flailing against cries of “nanny state”, I think that income protection should be compulsory … weighing up your right to free choice against my right to pay less tax to support you in the event that you become statistic number 800,001.

    I know, I know. Its sad. And here are thousands of stories of tragedies that you are about to share with me. But you don’t have a problem with car insurance/ house insurance /medical insurance. Be prepared and take out income protection insurance as soon as you start work.

    And instead of complaining about all that wasted money if you don’t make a claim, be grateful that you remain healthy.

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    • Lu

      I agree Reddie! I’m a fulltime mum and I am even insured. In case something happens to me or I am sick for a long time our family has the reassurance that we are covered for someone to come and take over what I do so my husband doesnt have to leave his job or reduce his hours.
      But a lot of people still dont even have house insurance. How many people do we hear about who lose everything who have no insurance? Its just crazy. I had contents insurance when I was a uni student on a part-time waitresses income, affordable insurance is available.

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      • Sah

        People often don’t have appropriate insurance because they can’t afford it.

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        • carohutchison

          At the very least, consider getting some through your super. It won’t affect your day to day cash flow, and there will be something for your family if you get really sick or die. Yes I’m an insurance adviser, so I deal with this kind of stuff all the time.

          Most people would pay for car insurance over income protection insurance, and really your potential to earn an income over time has got to be worth more than your car.

          sales pitch over :)

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          • Faybian

            I’ve claimed income protection through my super a couple of times in the last 2 years. I got told first time, that I couldn’t claim private income protection at the same time anyway. It had tone one or the other.
            We can also buy “extra units” of life insurance (up to whatever amiunt we think we’ll need) through our super at a lower weekly rate than through a private company. May be worth checking out for some.

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      • Laws for Clouds

        I know I’m considering cutting out some insurance because I have a hard time getting them to pay out.

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      • Kris2040

        You’re pretty affluent though, Lu. Not everyone can afford it.

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        • Reddie

          I am not picking on you Kris2040. You just happen to be at the end of the list.

          Insurance is expensive compared to what? You give priority to your mobile phone, your internet connection, your daily cup of coffee, alcohol, that new pair of shoes …

          I am not trying to trivialise the cost of living. I am just trying to point out that it is a question of priorities and most people consider their mobile phone more important than paying to ensure that they (and their family) would not have to rely on Centrlink in the event of something happening to them.

          I think the question should be, can you really afford not to have insurance? And can Australia afford to keep paying for people who think this way (back to the original discussion point).

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          • Kris2040

            My mobile phone costs me $20 a recharge, and that usually lasts for a month. Landlines are on the way out, so that is fast becoming most people’s only form of phone, rather than a luxury. I also have prepaid internet, again, rising in popularity. I also use the internet at the library at uni or the local library. I have private health insurance because I need a bunch of stuff that the ancilliary covers to function.
            Not everyone buys luxury items like new shoes or whatever. I don’t need a daily coffee, or booze. Things like shoes and clothes I put on layby. Because I can’t afford them. And I live with my Mum and pay rent to her and buy food for KDot and Mum and myself. I’m mystified how people can live on their own on the payment I receive. Seriously. And I’m a tightarse! I don’t smoke or drink, I buy in season fruit and veg, homebrand stuff, and I really have to weigh up what I can afford. I don’t have money to spare for insurance.
            When Lu mentioned her insurance, I think it’s fair to point out that she IS very affluent. I think that people overestimate what people on low incomes can afford. That was my reason for pointing this out.

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            • Melsie

              Ditto Kris. I get mad when people talk about buying ‘that new pair of shoes’, cup of coffee etc. As if, and I wish!

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            • Faybian

              I was as broke as sh*t when I was in your position Kris and I was damn good at budgeting. I would have laughed at someone who told me to get life insurance.

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          • tallicachild

            It frustrates me to no end when people make this argument.
            Yes, living is expensive. And for so many people, it isn’t a simple case of priorities.

            I’m 19, completely independent, work part time and study full time at uni. I earn about $20,000 a year. So I am VERY low income (considering $40,000 is considered low income). This equates to about $300 a week. Sometimes less, if I’m sick and can’t work. (being a casual worker means no sick days).
            Yes, I really can not afford to have insurance.
            I can not afford to feed myself some weeks.
            The funniest thing is I spoke to my bank about income insurance. Because I have had to rely on credit in the past to make sure my power wouldn’t be cut off. Income insurance is definitely an important thing. But you know what the bank said to me? You don’t even have an income worth protecting. (not exactly in those words, but that’s the gist of it all).

            And it pisses me off when sanctimonious people (not saying this is you) push the “priorities” angle. You have no idea what someone else earns, so when they say they can’t afford something, you should not preach to them. Especially when they’re a person on the internet and you don’t know how they live their lives.

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        • Lu

          Sure at the moment my life is pretty good, but like I said when I was at uni and working part time as a waitress I had some terribly broke times but paying insurance by the week was still a priority.

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        • Reddie

          I was going to prepare a long carefully considered reply until I saw the conversation on rorting the system later on. I don’t want to get into that sort of discussion.

          The problem with a generalisation is that there will always be someone to whom it doesn’t apply. I had no intentions of offending those on a low income (I do remember what it was like and I never want to eat another lentil – although my children think of it as a comfort food).

          However for me, it was important that my pensioner parents did not inherit the financial responibility of my children. And to make sure that this happened we went without pretty much everything – phone, car, new underwear (my new vice), life. My situation, my circumstances, my priorities.

          So just as it is unfair of me to assume that everyone can afford insurance, it is unfair of you to assume that anyone that does have insurance is affluent. Can I assume that we have exchanged and accepted apologies?

          I am just bringing this back to Joe Hockey’s view that Australians believe that they are entitled to welfare. And perhaps if more people took responsibility for themselves by taking out insurances, then our welfare bill would be more affordable and my taxes could go on more important things – hospitals, old peoples homes, children.

          And I am not trying to be provocative but most people (I know – generalising again) think that their mobile phone is more important than insurance.

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          • Faybian

            Reddie, I work in a low SES area where a lot of people can’t even afford to recharge their mobile phones, so if you ring them and miss them, the only guaranteed way of contacting them is to send them a text. A youth worker at a young parents antenatal group I attended told them that it was important to make sure their mobile phone was charged in case they needed to use it to call someone in the middle of the night (health advice line etc) once their baby was born.

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            • Reddie

              Okay. Point taken.

              I am a socialist at heart and I really do believe that we need to look after those in need.

              Its just the frustration of listening to those that talk about Centrelink being their fall back position when they can afford other options.

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            • Kris2040

              If they’re hooked up with a provider like Mission (which they should be), they can get phone recharges from them. That’s what I did when D-Day was approaching. I think they had allowances for a couple of phone cards and a couple of food vouchers (they used to go round to Coles and get a gift card) per year for each client.

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          • Kris2040

            I’m not assuming anything. Anyone who has paid attention knows that Lu is well off.

            I don’t think I’m a single case – I think you’ll find there are a significant number of people doing it tough.

            Who are these people who think this? Look at it this way – a mobile IS insurance, because it’s a line to the world if shit goes down and a way to be contacted.

            I strongly believe in a welfare state for those in need. I have always done, even before I needed it. Everyone pays taxes, everyone IS entitled to know that the government has their back when and if it’s needed. I think you’ll find that’s a socialist outlook, Reddie.

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            • Reddie

              For those of us who aren’t on this site very often, it didn’t sound like it was just Lu you were having a go at. My bad.

              Um …. no, an entitlement to welfare because you paid taxes is not socialism. Socialism is public ownership of capital (such things as schools, hospitals) to provide directly for human needs and not for profits.

              I support taxes for any program that makes our hospitals safer or helps a child reach their full potential or provides more support for families with children with disabilities. And of course you say that you do too, but “everyone’s entitlement” means that these are the programs that get cut because there isn’t enough money to pay for it all. Consolidated revenue is a only finite bucket.

              So you can see why Joe Hockey is worried about the age of entitlement (everyone pays tax so everyone IS entitled). Politicians have been trying to explain for years that there is going to be less and less money as our population ages and that something has to give.

              By 2050, there will only be 2.5 workers for each retiree – down from 5 workers today – and we are living longer and longer but not necessarily as well. (And please assume the generic You and not the personal you when I say) if you think that it is tough living on a dollar, good luck with the 50c it going to be while you are waiting for the hip replacement operation that will never happen.

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            • Kris2040

              You seem to be assuming that everyone using welfare payments is on them for life – I’d suggest most aren’t. I hate it. I don’t know how anyone can consider it a good alternative. Cost of living is high. My plan is to use it while my daughter is little, get my teaching qualification and then we can both start big school together. Yes I’m being subsidised by the tax payer, but I’ve BEEN the tax-payer for over 20 years, and I’ll BE a tax payer for well over that once I’m done at uni, and during when I can get part time work that fits with a little one. I have super, I have worked since I was 15 and payed tax as a consumer and/or wage earner since then.
              Everyone seems to “know” someone who rorts the system, yet I’m using that system and don’t know one person who has. I don’t doubt there are those people around, I question the prevalence of it.
              I have no problem with trying to limit welfare dependency, I hate it, but if I were to go back to work, I’d be working to pay for childcare and not getting ahead at all. So I’m going to use the rebates etc while I can and get some way to setting myself up to care for my daughter and me AND contribute back to society through taxes again.

              Oh, and I wasn’t “having a go” at Lu at all. I was pointing something out. No need to make it something it isn’t.

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            • Reddie

              Did you miss the “My bad” part of my opening paragraph? Sheesh.

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  9. The Wounded Bull

    Last time I went to the doctor, the young doctor just hit google herself, in front of me. At least they could go out of the room, and give the illusion that they are doing something more technical. It does make one wonder why a self serve approach isnt warranted.

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    • (medical student)

      I’m sure she wasn’t googling your symptoms wounded bull – most likely confirming a minor detail like drug name spelling for example

      also one technique they teach us is to “google together” so you can explain some of the medical jargon – sort fact from the nonsense your patients will find when they google what you’ve told them after the appointment.

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      • The Wounded Bull

        I can assure you she was. My daughter had an issue with her knee, a locking, then release popping noise when she was kneeling for prolonged periods. She googled the symptom in front of me prior to any diagnosis. She then mentioned some disease it could have been, which it turned out not to be. She then exused herself to go out of the room to talk to a senior GP, and came back and ordered an ultrasound.

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        • medical student

          I think you are being a little over judgemental annonymous. – seems hard to believe she would have no idea even as a medical student i can give you at least 5 differential diagnosis for that problem … there are only so many things that can happen in a knee joint

          “She googled the symptom in front of me prior to any diagnosis. ”

          just because she didn’t tell you the diagnosis she was thinking about doesn’t mean she had no idea.

          “She then mentioned some disease it could have been, which it turned out not to be”

          Drs always give the most likely diagnosis – not necessarily the only possible one. Not she “mention something it COULD have been rather than telling you thats what it was

          “She then exused herself to go out of the room to talk to a senior GP, and came back and ordered an ultrasound.”

          Sounds like good medicine to me – consulting with senior physicians and those more experienced is part of good clinical practice

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          • The Wounded Bull

            Fair enough, just recounting my story, and my perception. And patient perception is important is it not??

            It appears to Joe average, when you go into a Doctors surgery and the doc starts searching on their comp as a first port of call before discussing anything else, a bit soft. I take your points, but doctors also have to be aware of perceptions.

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            • Anonymous

              Very true – patient perception is ridiculously important – and it is sad that you felt your Dr was incompetent.

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            • Sah

              I agree with wounded bull. With no disrespect to the medical student, not all doctors are made equal. My sister and I lived in London for many years, and the google doctor we encountered there became a running joke among our friends.

              I can only assume that medical training varies greatly from country to country, as does patient rapport from person to person. London has doctors from all over the world, and healthy scepticism shouldn’t be discouraged in this varied environment.

              Perhaps trusting you doctor is the key?

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    • Lana

      I went to a doctor last year who looked up how to test for whooping cough ON WIKIPEDIA. In front of me. I was horrified

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      • Anonymous

        oh dear :S – like any profession there are some dud eggs- (or perhaps a dud moment)

        at least a more reputable website if you need to check test specifics!

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      • Kris2040

        Don’t they reckon that Whooping Cough is underdiagnosed because doctors in general these days (especially younger ones) just haven’t seen it because everyone was good getting their kids vaccinated? So now they’re not sure when they’re seeing it. I agree Wiki’s not scholarly, but at least it wasn’t dismissed as not whooping cough and could be diagnosed and treated.

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        • Lana

          I went to the doctor specifically because I wanted to be tested for Whooping Cough – there was so much of it at my son’s school and I had a persistent cough. She didn’t know how they actually test for it…. If only she had turned her screen away, I would have even felt more comfortable. I was the one that eventually tell her that she needs to do a throat swab. I am smarter than Wiki :-)

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          • Kris2040

            Yeah I only found out a few weeks ago as KDot had a cough which I was of course convinced was Whooping Cough that they need to do a swab.

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        • Amandarose

          I think it is under diagnosed as it is hard to get a positive result even if you have had it. Many people don’t see a Dr about it until they have had the cough for a bit- by then actual infection has cleared but the cough takes months to go away. I would guess only a tiny percent of cases are recorded due to this.

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          • Kris2040

            And you’re the one who maintains there isn’t an epidemic and that it’s cool if people don’t want to vaccinate their kids. I’m confused.

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  10. Lu

    I agree with Joe Hockey. The mentality of payng tax being a savings scheme for when we fall on hard times is ridiculous. But I would prefer to see the cut backs of frivilous welfare being redirected into areas that are hugely neglected. Disabled education and care and the elderly. Currently disabled kids often have no choice but to go into mainstream environments because the appropriate option is unavailable or unaffordable. And anyone who has tried to get a loved one into a nursing home will know what I’m talking about regarding the elderly.

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    • Melsie

      Can you please define ‘frivolous welfare’ for me?

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      • Mrs R

        Able body people who do not work and choose to live off benefits. I know these people exist as I was in relationship with one. He flat out refused to get a job.

        * he was working when we first met, for those wondering why I was silly enough to go out with him in the first place!

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  11. Toots

    Its funny, my GP googles things herself, whilst I’m sitting right there, then turns the screen to show me what she’s found!! Needless to say I haven’t been to her in awhile and pretty sure I won’t be going back!

    Can’t believe the workers comp payout – surely even though she’s away on a work trip they can’t something she’s deliberately doing as a workers comp injury. If I come into the office and start thumping the wall where there’s a painting and the painting falls and hits me, would they pay?

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    • aleced

      Yes they would pay. Workers Compensation is a no fault system so unless your employers could prove that you were thumping the wall knowing the painting would fall and injure you (obviously they couldn’t) you would get compensation. I used to determine claims and as much as it pained me, I had to accept plenty of claims that I thought were ridiculous or where the claimant had done something incredibly stupid that caused their injury. It’s hard to make the law appropriate for everyone it should be protecting without letting some of these silly ones getting accepted.

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      • Amandarose

        I often google information for patients as a lot of excellent info is available on the net.
        The benefit of a health professional doing it is they know if the information is correct or not.

        I would much rather trust a Dr who knows how to reasearch things they don’t know 100% then bluff an incorrect diagnosis.

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    • MJ

      I have heard a of a few doctors using google to find good diagrams/easy written information for patients. Not to google knowledge, to google a good diagram or good resource for the patient. Not sure if that is what is happening in your case, but I know a lot of doctors do it.

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      • eternally

        True, especially knowing that the patient is likely to do some googling on their own. At least if the doctor does it with them they can ensure the information they get is relevant and accurate.

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      • Toots

        Nope this is not the case for my GP. She literally says “hmmm, never heard of that or not sure what that might be, lets google it”

        I even had to point out to her once that the source she was using didn’t seem very reputable (IE not a medical journal or government site, it was a blog, a BLOG!)

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        • MJ

          Why do you continue to go to her then?

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      • EllyEm

        This is what my doctor does. He diagnosed a skin condition I had and then went on to google and printed out some information about it for me.

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    • eternally

      No doctor knows everything about everything.

      That being said, it depends on the context, if you were there for a common cold, yes, perhaps you should worry!

      It also looks a bit better to use a specific online medical resource rather than google, but it depends what they are trying to find; patient friendly information or guidelines etc for health professionals.

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  12. Bradley

    1. Re the compo payout…..you’ve got to be f-ing kidding me ! A believe that in the trade this is referred to as a travesty of justice.

    2. Agree with Joe Hockey. People do have to stop feeling “entitled” to welfare. Certainly some may be eligible to receive welfare because of their circumstances, but it doesn’t mean that they are entitled. I agree with Tony Abbott, a government like the rest of us has to live within it’s means. Everything can’t go on the HP or the credit card.

    3. Very saddened by the news of Greg Ham’s passing. Not just a great muso but a genuine character.

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  13. vanessayoung

    I commented further down about the disability pension, but I wonder if people ever consider how many employers are benefiting from the welfare system. Their conscience is clear about the low wages they pay and the few hours they offer because their employees are backed up by welfare. It is not uncommon to see supermarket, chain store and fast food workers on line at Centrelink around here.

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  14. Simone

    How do you actually know those images are photoshopped? Are you guessing in some instances? Just curious.

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    • CC

      I’ve been wondering the same thing.

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    • Lucy Ormonde

      Any image in a magazine is photoshopped… to some degree! And it’s become such a normal thing these days that magazines will declare when their images are NOT photoshopped.

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  15. Kathy W

    Well, I wonder what Mr Hockey proposes to cut back? Probably the target of tabloild media’s wrath – the single parent and the unemployed. Look out single mums – you’ll be forced to double your mandatory 15 hours work/study per week and report to Centrelink on a daily basis.

    And as for you lazy good-for-nothing dole bludgers…well $405 per fortnight is FAR too much money. Watch out – your payment will be halved and you’ll all be out picking up rubbish off the roadside and pulling out tick-infested lantana in the guise of ‘work for the dole. You have been warned…

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    • Anonymous

      Well why shouldn’t the unemployed, particularly the long term unemployed, work for their benefits? I see nothing wrong with that, perhaps if they were out there working in the community, employers may be more inclined to take them on because they’d been doing something rather than nothing, like a lot of long term unemployed do.

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      • Kathy W

        Work for the dole was meant to be a way to provide skills for the long term unemployed.
        In my area – one of the highest unemployment rates in NSW – there are people on work for the dole programs doing exactly what I have said – pulling weeds on highways and picking up rubbish. Work skills? No. Rather – a way to shut up the electorate by providing these ‘bludgers’ with something to do.

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        • Mark

          And what’s wrong with that?

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          • Anonymous

            I would rather they returned something to the community for their payments if they are fit and able. I agree with Mark, what is wrong with that?????

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          • Kathy W

            What’s wrong with that? How is it helping the unskilled receive skills to enable them to work? It’s pointless, meaningless work which will not help them in the long term.

            In any case, a lot of long term unemployed are not unskilled – they are over 55, have worked their whole lives and are suddenly deemed irrelevant. Not all unemployed are the stereotype pot smoking bludgers spending their days in the pub or on the front porch.

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            • The Wounded Bull

              Pointless, meaningless work? Well, someone has to do that work if dole recipients dont. do you tell workers that do this type of thing that it is pointless and meaningless?

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            • Lulu

              “someone has to do that work if dole recipients dont.”

              So does that mean work for the dole schemes cause job losses? Because if someone had to do that work, they’d already be doing it, right?

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            • Kathy W

              It’s pointless and meaningless for the unemployed! Not for those who choose to do this for a living! Sheesh!

              Far better for the unskilled to spend their time getting useful skills which will employ them for a lifetime – not for an afternoon.

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  16. Faybian

    I love the older model. She looks fantastic. Oh to look like that at her age!
    Gisele bundchen’s niece looks like a Kelly doll. She’s very cute.
    I think joe hockey was correct about the amount of welfare introduced during the Howard years. It was excessive (not that we particularly benefitted from it), but I wonder if he objected to the proposals of them, then?

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  17. lucindainthesky

    hmmm, hang on a second, wasn’t the opposition only just talking about increasing the baby bonus and paying women a replacement wage while they are on maternity leave??????

    Joe Hockey which payments do you feel need cutting back? Because I’ll bet the ones you want to reduce are the ones that stop many Australians from living in third world conditions or on the street. People immigrate from third world countries where they have no electricity or running water, poor housing structures and survive on a handful of grain a day, so that they can have a better future. Why? Because we look after our fellow countrymen with things medicare, the childcare rebate and job seeking assistance. Stripping it all back won’t help anyone, it will just help us regress as a country.

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    • The wounded bull

      Come on, there is tons of waste and rorting in social security. Go to any coastal town and see the ‘early retirees’ all out on the golf courses, all on disability pensions, but able to put away a quick 18 holes each morning then fish in the afternoon. They all laugh at the system that allows them this option. I know, my father and mother inlaw were both in on the deal, as were all their coastal town friends.

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      • lucindainthesky

        Just because a minority rort the system, it doesn’t mean most are. You are making a pretty big generalisation about early retirees there. Playing golf doesn’t mean someone can’t still have a disability that impedes their ability to go to work. The overwhelming majority of Australians continue to work for as long as they can because living on a pension stinks!

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        • The wounded bull

          Wow, you seriously think someone that walks 10kms swinging and gold club every few metres cant do any form of work. With this attitude, no wonder we cant get a surplus.

          Safety net for the most disadvantaged. Other than that, we need to loose this ‘the government owes me’ mentality.

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          • lucindainthesky

            I’m saying that every circumstance is individual, and there aren’t enough jobs for young people let alone old people. If a 55 year old labourer can no longer do heavy lifting 8 hours a day and takes a redundancy package, who is going to rehabilitate him to work in a different kind of job at that age and who is going to employ him?

            I am not saying there is no scope for some cut backs, but I am saying if the coalition can tell us one day that they want to increase baby bonus and then the next that they want to strip back welfare payments, well I want to know which payments they propose to cut. Because your parents might have chosen to take advantage of the system, but there are hell of a lot of people who don’t, who need that assistance. Other people shouldn’t be penalised because of people like your greedy parents.

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            • Guest

              Thank you Lucinda for sticking up for people like my husband and I who are both on disability pensions at 60 years old. Not because we want to, but our bodies for different reasons are unable to work any more. We have run our own small business for the last 30 something years, worked hard, paid our taxes and contributed to the community. You think we choose to live on this mere amount of money and forego holidays and all the other little luxuries in life and I mean LITTLE? Thank goodness we had them while we were working because we certainly can not afford them any more. This is what we have to look forward to for the rest of our lives. Thanks again for your support.

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            • lucindainthesky

              You are more than welcome. I think it is worthwhile remembering that not everything is as it seems. We need to look after the aging population as their bodies tire out and it becomes harder for them to work. They should not be forced to work like trojans until they are on their deathbed just because superannuation schemes were not in place for many of them for a chunk of their working life, and even when they came into place, incomes were so low that super contributions are also very low.

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          • An Idle Dad

            I normally enjoy your perspective, WB but today it’s a pity you’ve missed the opportunity here to have actual dialogue about economic issues, instead of simply partisan politics.

            Joe Hockey and Malcolm Turnbull have both made obvious statements in the last twenty four hours instead of simply towing the party line. Wouldn’t it be nice if the debate here did the same?

            “No wonder we can’t get a surplus” you state. Did the GFC just pass you by? Have you not read that the next budget is going to produce a surplus (and that some business councils are questioning the need to drive so hard to it?) Such a weak, ill thought out point does a disservice to your arguments.

            Lucina raises a valid point – Joe and Malcolm have both raised important questions about economic management that seem at complete odds to other messages coming from the coalition camp.

            And if they are discussing entitlements, why is it not appropriate to ask which entitlements are they thinking of?

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            • The wounded bull

              I refer to labors inability to return a surplus that pre dates the GFC by decades. And my comments about rorting are through my own observations. Nobody can convince me otherwise. And if there is that much waste, then it is an issue to me.

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            • lucindainthesky

              Thanks ID! You are ALWAYS a voice of reason :)

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            • An Idle Dad

              The Hawke Government produced surpluses every – single – year right up until the 90′s recession, then produced deficits in response (you can see it kick in – FY90 $6.6B surplus, FY91 $0.4B surplus, FY92 $11B deficit). Of course, the Australian economy began an unprecedented growth period (that everyone except you contributes to the Hawke/Keating economic reforms).
              I shudder to think what would have happened if neither Hawke/Keating or Rudd/Swan had maintained the holy grail of budget surpluses.
              Do you honestly maintain that a Howard government in 2008/2009 would have not gone into deficit? For starters, it would have been impossible. Of the $200B deficit, only $90B was stimulus. So not only would the Howard government have not stimulated the economy, they would have made $110B worth of spending cuts?
              Turnbull pretty much said this morning that during the last two terms of the Howard Government, they couldn’t have produced a deficit if they’d tried – which is why they made economic mistakes (giant tax cuts, massive middle income welfare benefits). This about how big those surpluses would have been if political pressures to ‘spend the money’ had been less.
              Reality is far more nuanced than the political line you constantly push. Turnbull and Hockey opened the door today, it’s a pity every will spend the day trying to kick it shut.

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            • The Wounded Bull

              Not true ID, the last labor surplus was 1988. The economy did so well for years after that that interest rates were raised a number of times to cool the economy. It was not until 1992 that the major slow down occured.

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        • Anonymous

          I’m sorry Lucinda but if you believe that it’s only a “minority” that rort the system, you’re slightly deluded.

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          • SBDH

            Actually, it’s well and truly a minority – recent (June 2011) data from the Australian Institute of Criminology puts it at around 0.04% of recipients, compared to around 1.1-1.5 globally. Yet we hear so much noise for something so small ….

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            • The Wounded Bull

              …of those caught and convicted. sure. Shakes head.

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          • Kris2040

            I’m probably included in “fraud” stats for Centrelink, because I didn’t know what my pay was going to be when I was reporting what I’d earned, so I had a debt to repay (which is fine, but it wasn’t fraud – . If that’s fraud, there are a lot of “fraudsters” around. It’s really easy to “rort” the system when it’s a complicated system to navigate!

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      • Lulu

        You clearly don’t realise that there are a number of different reasons someone could be on a disability pension. And I’m not sure if you expect DP recipients to stay housebound or move around in a wheelchair, otherwise risk being called bludgers.

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        • The wounded bull

          I know what I know about rorting because I have seen it with my own eyes Lulu. Far out, there are amost 800,000 people on disability pensions.

          You are deluding yourself if you dont think there is massive rorting going on. This is not to imply there are not also those that genuinely need help. But seriously, get out to where retirees live and see what is happening re DPs.

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          • lucindainthesky

            One of my best friends is on a disability pension, though she does still work in a lower rung job that she is able to do. She still has an active social life and is very fit. You wouldn’t know from looking at her because she is legally blind. Is she a bludger rorting the system too? Because if she lost her job tomorrow there’d be few other jobs she would be able to do – she cannot operate a cash register, she cannot sit and enter data on a computer etc

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            • lucindainthesky

              No you didn’t say everyone was rorting but you implied that just because your eyes couldn’t see a disability, for example if they walked a few kms, or played golf, that they couldn’t possibly have a disability that would stop them being able to work. A heads up: sometimes disabilities are not visible to our eyes.

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            • Rick Morton

              Please don’t sling personal insults. Argue the point, not the man. I’ve deleted any personal attacks on this thread and will delete any others.

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            • The wounded bull

              You can talk to me for a million years, and you will never convince me that someone that plays golf each day (walking 10kms, swinging a club, and with obvious good eyesight) cant do any form of work. Maybe soft attitudes like yours are the reason we have 800,000 on disability pensions.

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            • lucindainthesky

              WB, my comment was edited out. No bias at all.

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            • The Wounded Bull

              Thanks Rick

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            • The wounded bull

              Please understand, I NEVER said there was not a place for it, and that individual cases are not worthy. I am however saying it is rorted by many people, and I know that through actual experience of these people gloating about it. Please understand the point I am trying to make, that it is not suggesting nobody deserves assistance. This is nowhere nearthe point I am making.

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            • lucindainthesky

              WB, maybe that person who walks 10kms to play golf has some kind of intellectual disability or dementia. Maybe he walks 10kms despite considerable pain because he loves to do it. Or maybe he is actually rorting the system. The point is that you wouldn’t know unless you stopped to talk to them and ask them. Never judge a book by it’s cover.

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            • The wounded bull

              I have stopped and talked to a great number of them, the friends of my inlaws, hence my initial comment. They all ‘wink wink nudge nudge’ that is was pretty easy to suggest back pain to get doctor sign off. I dont know why you got so aggresive at my observation. It is my own observation regarding people I know, you cant take that away from me. If governments dont try and reduce rorting of social welfare, then we end up with a Greek style situation, where evryone was getting something from the government, retiring early etc, all the while the country was going broke.

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            • Lucinda

              No aggression here. I find your claim that your in laws suggested back pain to get the Dr tO sign off quite interesting. The amount of paperwork requIted to qualify for a DP is obscene. Usually a specialist signs off. Your in laws Doctor must have

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            • lucindainthesky

              woah something went wrong with that last comment. It was meant to say that:

              Your in-laws Dr must have been breaking the law, and taking a big risk to do it. It takes a whole lot more than a Dr signing off that you have back pain to qualify for a pension. You’d have to have many a test to determine the cause and whether or not it was long term. I think your in-laws are telling you fibs.

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          • vanessayoung

            My husband was on the disability pension for a number of medical conditions that contrived to form a health tsunami. He was told “you will never work again”. He is working again now through sheer perseverance. If you knew how hard and humiliating it is to get the disability pension you would not be saying this. I am sick to death of people talking about those rorting the system without providing evidence and figures. I think that you misunderstand the system to a degree. Some are classified as disabled but receive no payment, merely access to a health care card to help with medical expenses. We spend about $300 a month on prescribed medicine.

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          • Susan As Well

            You can tell just be looking at retirees on the golf course that 1. they ARE on a disability pension and 2. that they don’t medically qualify for one?

            What medical qualifications do you have to make such as assessment or assumption WB?

            Your argument doesn’t make sense.

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            • The Wounded Bull

              Um, the medical qualifications I have are a) common sense that if someone can walk 10 kms, have good enough eyesight to see a little white ball, and can swing a club, that there must be some form of work they are capable of, and b) the fact they told me with their own mouths that it is a rort and easy to get on to a DP. I spent much time playing golf with father in law at his club and heard all the chatter.

              God, with these attitudes, no wonder it is so easy to rort the system.

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            • Lulu

              “Um, the medical qualifications I have are ”

              Gee, if it’s that easy, I wonder what all those people are doing spending so many years studying.

              Newsflash: people rort – anything. In corporate life, people do so many things that they don’t even regard as rorting. I’m not pretending that nobody rorts welfare, so please don’t pretend that nobody rorts anything else.

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            • The Wounded Bull

              So now you know it is that easy, is that your preferred option is it lulu. do you think so badly of fellow humans to think anybody would rort if they could. And where did i ever imply that there is not other types of rorting in society. Is your argument that, because other things are also rorted, we should not discuss social security rorting. Wow, the mind boggles.

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          • Rosie

            Wounded Bull – such sweeping statements. Every case should be assessed individually. You are indeed unfortunate to come across so many who are rorting the system.

            Regarding ‘welfare cutbacks proposed by Joe Hockey” – let us not forget that it was when Joe Hockey was in Government that the Widows’ Pension was abandoned. Widows were then, in some instances, allowed to receive the Widows’ Allowance – the equivalent of the dole! If you have seen a 60-plus Widow trying to survive on the Widows’ Allowance – you have seen real hardship. Especially after home-caring a dying husband for a couple of years.

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          • Lucinda

            .. done something very illegal because back pain is not adequate for DP. Other scans or tests are required to prove what has caused it. Sounds very suss.

            (sorry my comment before got cut off trying to enter it from my phone)

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          • Guest

            Wounded Bull, you haven’t got a clue what you are talking about, saying most retirees are all Disability Pensioners, and they all live together! What a load of frogs twat! Where do you get your facts from?

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            • The Wounded Bull

              LOL, what the?????? Where did I make any of those points. I want what you are smoking if you read that anywhere in my comments. Please point out the quotes of mine that say anything like what you said.

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      • Steve

        Perhaps you should take up the integrity issue with your parents and their friend’s…or dob them in :)

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        • The Wounded Bull

          Not my parents, my inlaws. Thanks for the advise. I think if we all look hard, we probably can see someone playing the system.

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          • Susan As Well

            Very surprised at your comment. You can *look* as long and as hard as you like, but until you medically assess a person all you’re doing is making assumptions based on … nothing.

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            • The Wounded Bull

              Read the following in a Basil Faulty voice:

              Ok, I conceed. I am wrong. There is no rorting, everthing is just fine.

              Good day.

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            • Susan As Well

              The mark of true wisdom is being open-minded to the possibility that you may be wrong about something. Well done, WB :)

              After six years of working in adult community health and watching people apply for disability pension, I have to say that you are quite wrong in your assumptions. There is a process of endless assessment, the assessors at Centrelink are not mindless people who assume that an applicant is eligible or not.

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            • The wounded bull

              …sure, thats exactly it.

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            • Anonymous

              Wounded bull, you argue like a child mate. If you can’t have a calm discussion and listen to and consider other people’s opinions, then at the end of the day you’re just having a conversation with yourself and being rude to other people who don’t agree with you.

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            • The Wounded Bull

              Like a child? The Basil Faulty line was an attempt at humour to bring this all to a close. Other than that, I just argue my point. i was a little ticked off early, as another contributor on here called me an a**hole and a dick, which annoyed me. Their comment was deleted, but I do fight with greater vigour when called those things.

              How am I like a child, enlighten me. Oh, and with respect, I dont think we are mates. Thanks.

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    • Tessy

      I read in an article yesterday that they were looking at not making superannuation mandatory as one of the things they would cut and now in every follow on article there is no mention of it. In the initial article I read he was talking up the Howard government and all they had done for welfare.

      Now I feel like I am reading something completely different.

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    • Another Jo

      Yes it seems that Joe Hockey and Tony Abbott aren’t quite on the same page! Maybe they need to get their policies straight.

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  18. Ecidnac

    What about the earthquake in Canberra this morning? I woke up to the shaking and loud rumble at 5am this morning. The front door shook! So surreal…

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  19. MaryV

    Joe compared us to our Asian neighbours but the majority are third world countries. Should we really be comparing your welfare system to theirs? The first thing Liberals always do when they come to power is cut welfare. Then a few years down the track they return welfare, but to the middle classes without means testing it. How could any vote for this?

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    • lucindainthesky

      I agree Mary. It scares the shit out of me that so many people WILL vote for this garbage. We all know what they are up to. They are notorious for it.

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  20. Donna M

    I work in retail, my pay just covers my childcare, baby sitter and after school care. I work because i love it not for the money, obviously, but if any entitlements that i am recieving now as a rebate were cut off i would be in debt every week and wouldnt be able to continue. It sounds rediculous but its true.

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    • Guest

      Sorry, but I don’t see why the Government should pay you to go to work just because you love it. You said it only covers your child care. What about all the unemployed looking for work to pay their rent etc. I do not think it is right. You chose to have your children, so stay home and look after them and let someone else have your job. and save our Government some money.

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      • 1950s Flashback

        For sure, then she should get her apron on and meet her husband at the door with a drink in hand and ribbon in her hair…

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  21. donna M

    daphne is stunning! 83 or 23 I believe she would have always been stunning, although hers seems like the sort of beauty that gets better with age.

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  22. Leelu

    Wow, Government’s should live within their means…shouldn’t that start with the spending practices of the politicians? I know I’d like to cut back the amount of tax I pay to watch these people argue like children, drink on the job, fly around the world and eat chef prepared meals while sitting. How about Joe Hockey does a life swap: I’m great with a budget, because no-one else is picking up my tab … and I can be charming, and surely I could be straightforward with my opinions on how others should be able live from my high perch…

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    • Shan

      Heads up: We need politicians to earn a good wage and to have benefits to attract smart people to the job.
      When will people understand this?
      Note: I’m a student, not a politician.

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      • MJ

        Doesn’t money attract everyone..
        Like any public service job I think people should go into it with a desire to make a difference, not money.

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      • Anonymous

        Doesn’t seem to be working…

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  23. Rick Morton

    I tend to agree a little bit with what Joe said. Welfare should be reserved for those who need it. So yes, Howard did go too far with some of it. Emphasis on some.

    But that being the case, why is the Opposition so against means testing the welfare payments we do have, which is the path Gillard seems to be going down and one I tend to agree with? Those who can pay their own way should do so unless there is some massive boon to the economy in giving them assistance.

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    • Yep – I’m with you Rick.

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    • The wounded bull

      I dont know that they are against all means testing. The issue as it relates to child care is more complex. All women should be assisted back to work if that is what they wish to do – society benefits from having these skilled women back at work if they so wish, without a huge dis-incentive hanging over them. Other forms of welfare I do not believe LNP want to kill off mean testing do they?

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    • Dolly Levi

      Yes it should be reserved for people who need it. Like my Dad who lost his job after 22 years and Centrelink have approved $10p/wk. Yes, you read that right. My parents are by no means millionaires, they live in a small home, both drive cars that are over 10 years old and they would be lucky to have $10k in savings.
      Should welfare be means tested HELL YES !!!!!!!!!
      The worst part is Dad has no intention of staying on Welfare it’s just a middle measure to stay on top of their bills until he can find work.
      Don’t get me started on how hard it is for over 55′s to actually find work !

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      • Miss

        I’m genuinely not trying to be antagonistic, but why should the government fund your parents’ bills while they have $10,000 in savings? I’m confused – isn’t welfare for those who need it to survive?

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        • WillaWay

          Because once they use up that $10,000 they will be on welfare anyway and have no savings if something goes wrong with a car or a fridge, or medically. If they’re lucky, they’ll have another job once all their savings are gone. Then they have to try and build that up again. $10,000 is not a lot of money. Especially as someone could have a substnatial house and other non-liquid assets and get the pension without being forced to sell them. So you with $3000 can’t get welfare, but I with a $300,000 house and a $10,000 car can sign on. It’s all about how the poorer stay poor and the richer get richer.

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          • Miss

            I see, and I feel for Dolly’s dad, especially as he sounds keen to get back into the workforce. However if we’re talking about closing the gap between the rich and poor shouldn’t funds go to the actual ‘poor’ – those without houses, cars and savings? Means testing sounds like a winner!

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    • WillaWay

      That would be because the Opposition don’t want to lose all their grey voters who have considerable assets and retirement income as well as drawing a full or part pension. As well as all the votes from middle class families doing middle class things, discussing their extensions and the children’s activities and their next holiday, while banking family supplements.

      They DO want to hit that button where we look at people in unfashionable clothes being very uncool and not classy and resent supporting these people who supposedly choose to do nothing all day while spending their huge welfare payments at Harvey Norman. It’s just the anti-dole-bludger line the opposition have always spun. Nothing new under the sun.

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  24. Anonymous

    I agree in part with Joe Hockey, we have too much middle class welfare in this country, these are the cut backs we require. Unfortunately the cuts will occur for our communities that are most vulnerable.
    There is no votes in scraping the benefits of negative gearing or other benefits for the middle class.

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  25. Anonymous

    I agree with Joe – too many in this country believe that they are owed entitlements from the Government. I think a cut back in certain areas of benefits (not pensions or disability) may encourage people to cut back in their lives and stand on their own two feet.

    And yeah Julia, Joe believes their should be cutbacks on services families rely on but that’s the problem they rely on them.

    My parents managed to raise two children on one low to average income, with no Government assistance. They worked their backsides off cutting back expenses as much as possible in order to keep our home when interest rates hit 17 odd percent and all without a penny from the Government. If generations before could do it, why not now? Why because the Government is willing to hand the money out and people are more than willing to take it rather than try to live within their own means.

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    • Leelu

      Times have changed dramatically since your, or my, parent’s day…my husband and I work our arses off. The last few years has seen a dramatic shift in living expenses. We receive family tax benefits, we do use medicare and a free dental service for the children. My husband pays a ridiculous amount in tax due to the way his wage is structured week by week. I have to work nights and weekends because we can’t afford daycare until tax is returned.

      Explain to me what more we can do so that we don’t rely on the family tax benefit to get us through.

      Oh and by the way, we don’t holiday, eat out, or see movies because we don’t spend what we don’t have. This is my reality, and this is the reality of many other families in a failing economic time…

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      • Scott

        I really strongly disagree

        People here are better off than ever – we have so many creature comforts we could easily scale back on.

        Holidays, flat screen tvs, smart phones, tablets, a gadget for every fricking household chores, more than one car per household – there are so many ‘luxuries’ which Australians now call ‘essentials’ or ‘basics’ it is ridiculous.

        For most Australians on welfare I would imagine there is plenty of fat to cut.

        We need to bring back INCENTIVES, and if people have to work crap jobs – then they have to work crap jobs!!!

        Joe is right, there are too many people in Australia who feel ‘entitled’.

        Too many people who look to the Government asking “What have you got for me?” When really they should be saying “Thank God I don’t need government assistance”

        And p.s. to all those people who think they know dole bludgers – or DP bludgers – why don’t you anonymously dob them in?!

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        • Leelu

          Did you not read what I wrote? This is my experience, and very nearly a general experience of people in my area.

          Did I not state that we do not do ‘creature comforts’? I don’t even use a dishwasher or dryer…they are a waste of money when you are trying to feed yourself and pay your bills.

          I know SOME people are doing well…I know SOME people must be claiming benefits for such that they are not entitled to…but, clearly SOME people are willing to acknowledge that a very large portion of everyday, HARD working Australians ARE STRUGGLING!

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        • Kris2040

          If you could ask those people on welfare how they’re affording all the stuff you’ve mentioned and still manage to eat and have a roof over their heads that’d be great! Do share what they say here, as I don’t know any and sure as shit would love to hear their tips.

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        • silentlyscreaming

          Scott said “Holidays, flat screen tvs, smart phones, tablets, a gadget for every fricking household chores, more than one car per household – there are so many ‘luxuries’ which Australians now call ‘essentials’ or ‘basics’ it is ridiculous. For most Australians on welfare I would imagine there is plenty of fat to cut.”

          I don’t even know where to start with that one! We certainly don’t have any of the creature comforts you’ve mentioned, because for us, at the moment, they definately fall under the ‘luxury’ category. There are very few things that we could cut back on… perhaps the 4 yr old’s 2 (short) days at preschool each week? Or maybe we can cut the grocery bill to under $100 each week for a family of 4… Or maybe we’d best make sure the children never get sick, because without family assistance, they can forget about any medications they might need (which thankfully hasn’t been a problem as yet).

          Perhaps some people spend government assistance on unnecessary things (flat screen tv, really??), perhaps some people are paying off debts, perhaps some really are just struggling to survive… PERHAPS people can stop lumping everybody who receives government assistance in the category of ‘bludger’, because we’re not all living the dream you know!

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    • Lulu

      “They worked their backsides off cutting back expenses as much as possible in order to keep our home when interest rates hit 17 odd percent”

      Interest rates might have been higher than they are now, but house prices were *a lot* lower – not just in absolute dollar terms, but in comparison to annual salaries.

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  26. essessesse

    I don’t get the Opposition. We get brilliant news about the Australian economy this week and what do we get from them? “We’re going to take your benefits away.” My dad lives in the UK. He says the government want to take the free travel and winter heating allowance away from aged pensioners. The current UK government is making the rich richer and the poor poorer. Hockey is in London at the moment, he must be getting his ideas from them.

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    • Anonymous

      The UK have been a population thriving on benefits for far too long, their benefits systems is in the process of getting a major overhaul – one that has been needed for quite some time.

      I don’t agree with cutting back services for the elderly or disabled but other areas – unemployment, family allowances etc etc most definitely.

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      • Anonymous

        That’s all well and good, unfortunately the people who get whacked with these reviews are the sick and the elderly.

        What sort of family allowances would you cut back?

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    • The Wounded Bull

      Most of the western world (aka Europe) is rotting because they have lived beyond their means for decades, with governments spending more than they earn. Much of this spending has been directed into overly generous social programs / pensions etc. While there always needs to be a safety net for the most disadvantaged in society, a government is no different to any household, in that they can’t go on for years and decades spending more than they earn. Eventually something breaks. This is part of the issue I have with labors history of almost always spending more than they earn.

      The issue becomes even more pressing when you realise that most western counies have aging populations.

      It is all too easy to boo and hiss at what Joe Hockey was tring to say, but surely the underlying message is sound. In a perfect world, the government would give everyone $100,000 hand outs and we could all skip through the daiseys together. It is not a perfect world though.

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  27. meljb

    I can’t believe she’s been given worker’s comp! How is choosing to have sex while away for a work trip counted as being in the course of her employment? That’s just ridiculous.

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    • aleced

      Don’t get me wrong I think it’s ridiculous but its hard to draw the line. On work trips you are pretty much covered (in QLD anyway) for the entire trip, particularly if you are doing an everyday activity. If she had slipped in the shower for example she would have been covered. I guess in this case the judge considered sex to be a normal part of life (like having a shower) and that’s why she was covered. Having said that, there is still lots of confusion surrounding work trips and where the line should be drawn. You would have thought she would have been too embarrassed to lodge the claim in the first place lol

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      • Ella

        I don’t quite understand why she chose to reveal the fact that she was having sex… couldn’t she have just said she was reading?

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        • Simone

          Exactly my thoughts.

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        • MJ

          Perhaps she still had the half naked guy around when someone came to look at her injuries?

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        • Lulu

          If you’re applying for workers’ comp, I suspect you really really don’t want to be caught out in a lie because that would make your claim look suspect.

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          • Sah

            Oh boy would I rather be caught out lying than telling the truth for that! No amount of compensation could be worth the loss the dignity involved in lodging that application in all seriousness to another human being!

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      • trixie melodian

        I read an article about this yesterday that said she only agreed to lodge the complaint if her name was suppressed!

        I am just waiting for companies across the country to panic about their insurance premiums going up and banning employees from having sex while on work trips.

        Everyone complains about the “nanny state” we live in, but face it, it’s a direct product of our increasing desire to sue for every little thing that happens to us. If something bad happens, if we have an accident, if we hurt ourselves, or even if we are just a bit offended or upset by someone, then SOMEONE must be to blame, SOMEONE must be accountable and SOMEONE must PAY dammit!

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