In a recent conversation with an unemployed Tasmanian the plight of the unemployed was again highlighted to me. Unemployed Australians have been left out of the recent federal budget. Unless they had dependent children, they were also ineligible for payments under either of the Government’s economic stimulus packages (the $900 bonuses).

Unemployment is a terrible personal and community tragedy. God made us stewards of creation and in the work of stewardship we find fulfillment and satisfaction. At a pragmatic level, once a person loses their employment it is often very hard to re-enter the work force and for some older workers it is nigh impossible. This leads to social disadvantage and marginalization. Given this, the Commonwealth Government in ignoring the unemployed in the recent multibillion-dollar stimulus packages has done Australia a grave disservice.