SOCIETY SENDS WRONG SIGNALS

WHAT sort of signals are we sending to our youth? I am amazed at the
current approach to decriminalisation of cannabis. Here we are in a society
in which you can't get a job on a minesite or in construction almost
anywhere in the State with signs of cannabis in your body, but our
Government wants to say it is OK to have some. Is this a contradiction?

When is our society going to start to tell people that they must contribute
to it in some way for it to develop? I read in this newspaper a while ago
that the welfare groups wanted another $60 million for the next year and
that almost 600,000 people in this State are getting some sort of welfare.
How many of those smoke cannabis or have some "problem"? They always have
excuses for their failures.

It appears that all of us out there trying to improve our lot are too busy
to be chasing politicians over issues. However, there are lots of minority
groups with nothing better to do than chase their issues every day and they
seem to be listened to.

There are a lot of people who are just using the system. I have even spoken
to people who are telling me that they are having more children to continue
getting the endowment payment because they couldn't live without it.

My colleagues are always complaining about the tax they pay to support
people who are not contributing to society. We complain about the family
and society breakdowns, but at the same time the system is supporting them.
It is far too easy for children, wives and husbands to leave the family
when it gets a little hard because the system will support them.

From what I have seen, Singapore is definitely the best society I have
lived in. You contribute or you get locked up and forced to contribute.

The fabric of our society will continue to break down because we are
encouraging people to live by the system.

ANTHONY ERBE, Fremantle.