Ok, let's just take your facetious argument on face value.

So that's $5.80 / hr in our land that has a minimum wage of $24.95 / hr. Still, a bit over 20%, crappy for sure (if it was true).

Now, of course, most people are not on the minimum wage, and definitely not here on HN. The tax system benefits those at the low end more though, so let us look at median wages.

Median hourly wages (in main job) are $40 / hr (Source: ABS - August 2024).

Median incomes are actually a touch higher (because not just main job), at $102,742 / annum, which attracts a tax rate of 21%, before the MANY MANY middle class welfare rebates we get (Source ATO tax calculator for 2024-2025).

So, for most of us, maybe we pay approximately our Monday to the State, but that gives us free school education, one of the world's best health systems per $ value (seriously, there are studies!), not to mention a relatively well functioning society (roads, police, firefighters, etc), on top of that we get the horrendous welfare state that you are bemoaning.

That welfare state includes things like the NDIS, which is out of control and needs to find an equilibrium between all the rent-seekers, but the ambition is amazing! We SHOULD support all our disabled people to be the best they can in society! Meanwhile, even with such a fuckup, we're doing ok. Pull your head out, mate.

Do we have issues? Hell yeah. But our terrible "social security state" is not the start of them at all.

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nandomrumber a day ago | parent [-]

These are the facts:

Australian social security budget: about $120 billion

Australian NDIS budget: about $52 billion

Number of working Australians: 14.6 million

Number of welfare recipients in Australia: about 5.4 million, or about the entire population of Melbourne.

Number of NDIS recipients in Australia: about 661,000

That’s about $78,500 per NDIS recipient.

Democracy can last only up to that point the majority realise they can vote themselves largess from the public purse.

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defrost a day ago | parent | next [-]

G'day again :-)

Just to clarify to all.

> Number of welfare recipients in Australia: about 5.4 million, or about the entire population of Melbourne.

That's the number of unique Australians who get any form of income support at least once in a full reporting year, and there are a number of one off and short term payment types.

It includes many people who are working, a number on pensions, likely children (I haven't dug deep, etc), students, and others.

It's not the case that there are 5 million dole bludgers spending the year on the piss at the TAB, pulling bongs on the couch, etc.

There's quite the list of support types here: https://www.dss.gov.au/income-support-payments

It includes assistance for real Job seekers and helps keep them from being a greater problem, assistence with starting small businesses, etc.

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aredox a day ago | parent | prev [-]

>Democracy can last only up to that point the majority realise they can vote themselves largess from the public purse.

You wish people would go back to forming loving families, but you believe people will naturally leave others to die in poverty and sickness once their eyes open.

Which one is it, nandomrumber?

	▲	nandomrumber a day ago \| parent [-]
		Where did I say that?