Labour's Barbara Edmonds asks why people aren't starting businesses to compete with corporate oligopolies;
Having tried to do exactly that, here's one thing I think would really help. Funding salaries for 2 years, for any worker currently on a benefit, for any new business in a market dominated by a handful of corporate players. With no penalty on anyone involved if the business doesn't work out (most attempts to start a new businesses fail within 2 years).
This would allow people on benefits to have a go at creating new jobs for themselves, instead of playing musical chairs with everyone else trying to get more paid hours. The cost would be not much greater than paying the same people benefits, and would be further subsidised by not having to put WINZ staff time into managing their case.
Even in the worst case scenario where the business fails and all the workers ends up back on a benefit, they'd all gain skills and confidence from having a go.
"I just don't think there's a quick, easy solution without raising taxes, bringing more revenue into the economy, and again, people will also push back at that. When Barbara tries to introduce [taxes on] the Capital Gain or wealth or whatever ... there'll be a bit of squealing about that too. But ..."
#FranOSullivan, 2025
O’Sullivan is a Rogernome from way back, but even she seems to accept that we need a change in our political paradigm.
This is a bonfire demo instance for testing purposes
