Sydney - Money can't buy love, it is said, but can it happiness?

   In these times of economic gloom, the Australian government has spent 1 million Australian dollars (647,000 US dollars) on "happiness workshops" for its bureaucrats and teachers, much to the chagrin of taxpayers, news reports said Thursday.

   The federal government spent 642,000 Australian dollars on a five-day positive psychology workshop for 100 Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations staff and 350,000 Australian dollars for sending 209 teachers to two other workshops during January, a Senate Estimates Committee was told in Canberra.

   The workshops have come under criticism from the opposition Liberal Party, which has labelled them an "extravagance" that could not possibly improve well-being and productivity but would make people cynical about the public sector, Australia's AAP news agency reported.

   However, Education, Employment and Workplace Relations Minister Julia Gillard on Thursday defended the workshops as helpful to teachers in assisting students battling with illnesses such as anorexia and depression.

   But Australian Education Union president Angelo Gavrielatos told The Australian newspaper, "What would cause more happiness to the nation as a whole is to dedicate those funds to better meet the needs of students."

   The feel-good workshops were not making many people happy as Australians lose jobs and homes and struggle to make ends meet with the global economic crisis hitting home.

   "The government needs to choose between frontline staff delivering essential services or happiness conferences," Mark Gepp of the Community and Public Sector Union said. "They cost the same, but only one delivers the essential services Australians expect."