Welfare in Australia doesn't run out. There are generational participants in the scheme lol.

In fact if you have 10 kids and claim single parent status, there is a chance you can get 6 figures for nothing to support these kids. Obviously most don't support those kids, just take the money.

Welfare in Australia is a joke. It is so close to minimum wage (under the right conditions), that it is better not to work. They say they do it so there is less crime, but seriously I know in countries that arn't as generous it makes peopel want to find any job fast or die starving.

I posted then read he's in Australia. I can't believe they haven't had a collapse of their welfare system. America's at least has some work requirements that discourages the generational bits. Its a sad track to be on that sort of life. Everyone should make something of themselves financially, even if its not much. Much less those that are fully-abled but either refuse to work, or don't push hard enough to find a job.

Unemployed "bums" are forced to do "work for the dole" and usually get paid $277.85 - $300.55 a week.
They are also required to apply for a fixed amount of jobs per week.

That might seem like allot of money and they are living it easy... But that is far from reality.

The cost of living is proportionally greater than it seems... For example rent alone can take the entire lot of that payment with average apartment rental rates  being anywhere from $295-$550 depending on city you live in.

Those on a disability pension pull in $463.10.. And they will be assessed on their working capacity and if they are deemed able to work... Will be forced to do so.

And some forms of welfare actually save the Government money.. As you know we have a Universal Healthcare system, it's much cheaper to put someone on say... A Carers Pension to look after someone aged/disabled and keep them out of the health system than it is to put someone into full time, professional care/home.

...Economically it has done well for us as well. Unlike say... Tax cuts for the top 1% of town, everyone in the bottom 20% tend to spend all of their income, so it's money being more readily circulated in the economy, various business profited greatly from it, Radio Rentals for instance was a big benefactor here in South Australia for instance.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-03-20/radio-rentals-reaps-$90-million-in-centrelink-payments/6333690

Rest assured, those with 10 children are the exception and not the norm.

The big expense of welfare isn't parents anyway or those who abuse the system or even those who don't want to work or whatever... It's actually seniors/aged/elderly on their pensions.
https://www.aph.gov.au/About_Parliament/Parliamentary_Departments/Parliamentary_Library/pubs/BriefingBook45p/WelfareCost

Not sure if laws have changed or not, but I knew people on welfare, who paid like $100 a week for a 3 bedroom house for the department housing they were given. They also were given a concession card for health care and other public services.

As for work for the dole scheme that we now have, I have had some employers say they lie about the person doing work for the dole. The main reason is because it is easier for them to say that then to deal with them on site as they tent to waste time and create more work then the original work is intended to do.

I am not against the dole in principle, but when you can clearly see that some people don't try to get out of that cycle, then something needs to be done. However I don't think it will be as it is easier to create welfare suburbs and ship the problem out of mind and out of site. Give them enough cash not to cause trouble (ie reduce crimes like breakins) and it isn't a problem.

Hopefully the pension problem will reduce over time as now we have super funds to offset 100% reliance on government payments.

Government subsidized housing (At-least in South Australia. Aka. Housing Trust.) is only reserved for the disabled, elderly, aboriginals and those who are generally seen as "at-risk".
You are thus put onto a category system, category 1 is where you are pushed into the first available home, category 2 could take months.. And category 3 essentially means you will not get accommodation ever.

Those who are homeless or are on the dole generally fall into category 3. - When I was homeless a good 20~ or so years ago, I was placed onto category 3.

But you are right that subsidized housing is generally about $100~ a week, but that is still a big chunk of your welfare gone on rents... And that is before Electricity, Internet, Food, Transport and so on that is taken into account... And you can't claim rent assistance either.

I haven't seen any evidence of that happening here. In-fact they tend to be extremely strict.

What more can be done?
There are incentives for you not to quit a job and claim payments. (Aka. 8-week wait.)
The dole is a pittance and not really survivable. (Buying new clothes and being presentable for job interviews isn't free!)
And the amount of people on the dole is a minority anyway.

I think upskilling via avenues like TAFE is probably a good avenue to take for Governments.

But simply cutting back on welfare payments is not going to help anyone. It never has.

Indeed. I think it's a missed opportunity from Liberal and Labor governments not to tax our resource sectors heavily and bank that cash to pay for pensions... I mean, Norway has over $1 trillion smacko's in the piggy bank for a rainy day, why didn't we emulate that success?

I enrolled into TAFE/uni courses and other short courses and dodged doing work for the dole, multiple times. Study courses can be done instead of doing work for the dole. I have also used Medical certificates to get out of doing work for the dole. Work for the dole provides no relevant skills or experience that can be transferrable in a  real job and is pointless waste of time. Training or employment in real employment is much better than a punitive measure and compliance that is Work for dole. 

There is an Australian Unemployed Workers Union that believes no one should have to do work for the dole and it campaigns on abolishing work for the dole and fighting for more rights for disadvantaged unemployed people that have more barriers to gaining employment. Long term unemployed have multiple barriers to gaining employment: age, disability, little or no work experience, criminal history, drugs/alcohol/substance abuse, homelessness, etc.

Long term unemployed should get more assistance to get back into the workforce because they are less likely to get employment without assistance. Long term unemployed have waited patiently to re-enter the work force. Mid 2000s, I was on a wage subsidy after being long term unemployed, I was told better take this job or you get cut off the dole. It was blackmail, I took the job and only stuck it out for just over a year before I quit the job. I had to get by without dole for 8 weeks and I used up my savings. I never worked again. I studied 2 years  at university and obtained a Bachelor degree and I became over qualified and long term unemployed. 

Government are generous because it is other people money they are using. It isn't politicians giving their own money to sustain the program.

The trick to getting a job is experience and connection. If you freelance and get Job experience (which is easy in most fields) employers will love you. Learn how to use Linkedin as well.

How would the government help you out even more when you do all you can to avoid work? You want a job and you want a paycheck, but you don't want to work.

Sales jobs would be ideal for a person with no experience and can earn decent money without having experience or qualifications. However you need an extroverted, friendly personality to be good at sales. I have an introverted personality and that makes it near impossible to gain employment. I have sat through interviews and did not say a single word and found it very awkward. I hate being introverted and thinking too much, it is the root cause of all my issues in life. There are so many people that are extroverts that are loud, think less and achieved lower grades than I did at school but they live happier and more successful lives than I do. It is my personality that is the issues and being introverted is a terrible curse that I have never accepted in life. Being an introvert means harder to find employment and it is harder to make friends.

How do you change from being introverted to being extroverted? Is personality you are stuck with or can it be changed?