Restore the work ethic

AS to be expected, Tablelands farmers have come out swinging in response to claims that fruit picking jobs only go to backpackers because they accept lower than award wages.

The truth, it seems, is that foreigners have a better work ethic and are more incentivised than Aussies because they can’t fall back on the dole and need to earn spending money to continue their travels and make it home.

Human nature being what it is, if given the choice between accepting money for not doing anything – as well as a house for peppercorn rent – or working in a field all day, many people would be inclined to take the handout.

Obviously physical labour isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, but there are plenty of jobs washing dishes, clearing tables, cleaning, collecting trolleys or manning a call centre.

And these seemingly menial jobs need only be seen as a stepping stone.

Put in a year and save enough money to take a TAFE course to gain a qualification, then look at better-paying jobs.

The key is having a desire to not only work, but to work hard to impress the boss and gain promotion and pay rises.

This work ethic appears to be sorely lacking, especially in the long-term and intergenerationally unemployed.

Unemployed people with qualifications is another highly complex matter entirely and isn’t the point being addressed here.

The problem is that the choice not to work is available. Take away that choice – or make the choice not to work so unpalatable that working is in effect the only option, and we could go a long way to reducing the country’s crippling welfare burden.

Not to mention improving the lives and selfesteem of thousands of people.