‘Dole bludgers’ hold picnic

Press, 2 October 1979, Page 6

‘Dole bludgers’ hold picnic

NZPA Sydney More than 250 young “dole bludgers” from the Unemployed People's Union took advantage of the spring weather and the Eight-Hour Day public holiday in Sydney yesterday to hold their first annual dole bludgers’ picnic. Belmore Park. near Central Station, was renamed Belmore Beach for the day, with cardboard fish nailed to trees and signs directing the unemployed to join in the festivities or lounge under striped beach umbrellas. The curious watched from the other side of the park as the “bludgers” indulged in “sack” races, job raffles, blind man's buff, and fresh fruit salad. The U.P.U. declared they had challenged the Minister for Unemployment (Mr fan Viner) to a tug-of-war and had won — by default. Lazier lounge lizards

preferred to lie in the sunshine listening to old Beach Boys’ hits, impatient for the start of the major event of the day — the “Dole Bludger of the Year” contest.

The contest was open to any “bludger” with the right attitude (not being miserable on the dole) and the right aptitude (being able to adapt to life on the dole).

The lucky winner took home his hard-bludged prizes: a foam surfer plane, a six-pack of beer, a small foam chlllybin, a hot dog with sauce, and a straw sombrero. He was identified only as “Footrot, the Unemployed Clown.”