There is no doubt that certain forms of workfare are tantamount to slavery. I do not however believe that the Community Wage, as devised by Peter McCardle, is such a form of workfare. Furthermore, a concept defined by certain persons in authority in a certain way does not prevent others redefining the concept. Although the two concepts clearly do intersect, each nevertheless has meanings that are separate from the other. To persevere with the railroad analogy, I favour shunting the scheme onto another track, rather than derailing it.
Language is too important to leave to conservatives to define.
We are treating the CW as a grenade with the pin removed. In fact, the pin's still there. We can defuse the grenade, and lob it back. Who cares what the Treasurer's definition of the community wage is. Opponents of workfare should be telling the world what they think the community wage ought to be.