Money can’t buy love, but can it buy happiness? The Australian government will attempt to answer that question by spending one million Australian dollars (3.8 million kuna) on ‘happiness workshops’ for its administrators and teachers.
The federal government spent $642,000 on a five-day positive psychology workshop for about a hundred employees of the Department of Education and Employment, and another $350,000 for two similar seminars attended by 209 teachers during January. The workshops have been heavily criticized by the Australian opposition, who believe that in times of economic crisis, it represents an "extravagance" that will not improve the common good and productivity of the participants but rather ridicule public sector employees. Education and Employment Minister Julia Gillard believes that such seminars will benefit teachers in assisting students suffering from anorexia and depression. (H)
