The Ministry for Employment and Workplace Relations announced today that it was in talks with the Defence Ministry to implement a “Work for the Dole” program. Anyone under the age of 30 that is currently unemployed will be sent to Iraq as part of a raft of new measures designed to get the unemployed working again.

One backbencher told The Larrikin, “We have to do something about these kids that sit at home all day playing X-Box, in fact playing X-Box makes them eminently qualified for this job. The way we see it if someone can fly an F/A-18 Jet on an X-Box then you can do it in real life. Plus we won’t have to pay combat allowance to our regular staff.”

But not all Coalition ministers are happy about the deal. Scott Morrison, the Minister for Immigration is said to be quite upset about the deal. “He was hoping to use work for the dole to man his Operation Sovereign Borders,” said one insider. “A couple of 20 somethings floating about in the Timor Sea in a life boat holding signs saying ‘Go Away’ was going to be an important part of reducing costs and getting the budget back under control. Now he’ll have to battle with the defence ministry to get the staff he wants”.

Iraq, Work for the Dole