REPORTER:
As we speak, I'm standing outside Town Hall waiting for news on whether the coalition will tonight agree to put the much debated 'Child - To - Social Worker Act' to a referendum.
At this stage, we still do not have a concrete result to report, though I am able to tell you that coalition chief Supreme Leader Smith has been struggling to find enough supporting votes to push the legislation through.
The controversial bill was initially very popular, with the wrongly perceived measures of increasing the ratio of social workers to affected children gaining significant support particularly among opposition parties. That support waned considerably, however, when its true nature was discovered just less than an hour before the first official vote, when one eagle-eyed intern did what no one else on the council had bothered to do......and actually READ it.
Jenny, a local primary school student, on a 'Work with Dad' week, discovered that the carefully worded 'Child-To-Social Worker Act' was in fact advocating the mandatory employment of children aged 10-16, to work a minimum of 10 hours a week, without pay, on jobs in the community that current council workers were 'quote'.. "not particularly fussed" on doing.
Condemnation by members of the coalition's smaller contingent led by Dick Legg soon followed and in a hastily set-up press conference they hounded their not so happy bedfellows on the issue. Spokesman, John Johns speaking last week.........
JOHN:
It is of the upmost importance that this motion is defeated, its passing could see the very fabric of the family and our community as a whole come crashing down. It's barbaric and if certain members of the government had their way, we would be back in the time of Charles Dickens, with all our children stuck up some chimney contracting black lung, it's a disgrace!
REPORTER:
Leader Smith was quick to dismiss such fears and went on the offensive.
LEADER SMITH:
Oh no, on the contrary, this measure will enhance the fabric of all those things, not destroy them. The family, the community will all benefit from its implementation. Teenagers these days have no direction, no sense of respect to authority, this will change all this, and by the time they enter society as adults they will be hardworking, dynamic, and have a keen interest in the needs of society. Furthermore, in response to the suggestion "that ALL our children will be forced up chimneys" this is utter rubbish. If you read Article 5 carefully it clearly states that those duties will only be performed by children with NO LESS than TWO ASBOs, so could someone please explain to me how this could be regarded as barbaric?
REPORTER
Well, we will continue to watch the situation throughout the evening. Although the outcome is still up in the air, one thing for certain is that the coalition is in a state of disarray and will struggle to sustain public support. Back to you David, in the studio.