Not having read the book, I wonder if you touched on the constitutionality of the Work For The Dole scheme under Ch1 Part V Para 51(xxiiia) that states: 'The provision of maternity allowances, widows' pensions, child endowment, unemployment, pharmaceutical, sickness and hospital benefits, medical and dental services (but not so as to authorize any form of civil conscription), benefits to students and family allowances.' Surely WFTD is a form of civil conscription? I have raised this numerous times to the editor of The Advertiser [Adelaide], but I don't think the thought of WFTD being scrapped is to their way of thinking, and so have never published my letter. (God forbid that the Constitution actually do something in favour of the people, or that the Commonwealth should have to pay the going rate for all the work done under WFTD!). Cheers

NHJ! RESPONDS:

Thanks, John. No, NHJ! didn't examine WFTD in detail, and not being a Constitutional lawyer I'm not sure how strong a case could be made along the lines you cite. Any experts out there a little more qualified or informed on this? John and others who are interested in delving into WFTD in more detail might care to start by checking out the government's detailed pitch-cum-precis in this Parliamentary Library explanation, while for an apposite appraisal of the same time try this early analysis from the Socialists. Doubtless there's a gazillion points and takes in between; just looking about, we reckon after a quick surf about that if you want to chase a more detailed response yourself then one expert 'port-of-call' on this issue could well be Dr Judith Bessant, an Associate Professor and Senior Lecturer at the Australian Catholic University. When she's not flat-chat being Director of ACU's Social Policy and Advocacy Research Centre, getting involved in hands-on 'yoof' groups like Youth Assist and writing books and giving speeches on youth issues, she has been known to write articles about 'Civic Conscription and WFTD' (see her Feb 2000 piece in the Australian Journal of Social Studies for example, John - you'll need to sign on for a free subs trial to read it).

Lest we overload Dr B even further, if anyone else can add to this query further please let us and John know here.

Meanwhile, keep firing at the 'Tiser's letters editors, mate, my own experience as a long-suffering 'Basket-weaver from Balmain' is that sheer weight of letter-writing volume eventually wears the buggers who choose what gets published down...