The Wire

Hot on Labor’s heels, Tony Abbot has announced a new plan to provide incentives for young people to stay off welfare –a week after Julia Gillard put forward a similar unemployment scheme. His policy proposes financial rewards and penalties that entice young people to get and keep long-term jobs. Welfare organizations, however, have criticized both Labor and The Coalition for misspending government money and failing to understand the need of the long-term unemployed.