Dole
John*, who was unemployed for almost five years, says despite having to go into his Job Services Australia provider in order qualify for benefits, they never really gave him much help.
“I would go into my JSA provider once a month, have a meeting with my case worker where I would have to prove I was actually looking for jobs. She would never have any jobs for me to apply for; she would never suggest any specific jobs I should apply for or have any suggestions on what jobs I could do. Let alone actually finding jobs for me or setting up interviews for me, which is what I thought they would do,” he said.
The Commonwealth Government’s Job Services Australia (JSA) program replaced the Coalition’s old Job Network and is a moderate improvement on the old system. However, the JSA system is largely failing. Department figures show only 8 per cent of JSA clients get full-time work each year. But it’s a system which has made some JSA provider owners into millionaires off taxpayer money.
Continue reading "The ultimate insult to genuine job seekers" »
It’s easy to blame people for being outside the labour market or on its low-paid fringes. It’s easy when you’re passing judgment from a comfortable vantage point, well above the fray.
The members of my organisation, the St Vincent de Paul Society, however, are painfully close to the reality of poverty in a prosperous nation.
Every day, we see how hard it is to survive on social security payments. The people who have been left out of the economic prosperity that has been generated in this lucky country are waging a daily battle for survival. It’s a battle that is being waged from below the poverty line.
Continue reading "The cost of poverty is way more expensive than the dole" »
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Banned-4-telling-the-truth says:
The best way to stop poverty is to CLOSE DOWN Centrelink completely. Then, people will just do whatever they want, like in Asia. setting up stores outside their houses, selling stuff, doing woking without licence and don’t pay taxes, becoming self-employed and self responsible, looking after their families etc. etc.… Read more »
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Jason says:
Why do we call it “Unemployment Benefits”? First, it is quite derogatory to indicate there are benefits for being unemployed. THERE ISN’T! I don’t know anyone who is unemployed who is actually benefiting from being unemployed, especially when we have an unemployment scheme that is designed to keep one unemployed… Read more »
There was a chilling line in a Daily Telegraph piece on girl gangs back in 2008. Reporter Lauren Williams had a 2.30am chat with a Glebe teen called “Carson” in the article.
“Carson” explained why she and her friends stole.
“If the government gave us more money then we wouldn’t have to rob people,” she said, apparently satisfied she had delivered an impregnable justification for purse snatching, shop lifting and mugging.
Continue reading "You’re not meant to be comfortable on the dole" »
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Johno says:
I went on Centrelink for a month after I closed my business after 15 years, and it was merely extra money for a holiday after the 15 year grind. Started back full time work and interestingly, it was a bit of a pain to get Centrelink cancelled: had to make… Read more »
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Bob says:
Well it seems like we have lots of people happy with their nice job and careers pointing the finger, looking down on people for not working. I have been unemployed after working some pretty decent jobs and it taught me some valuable lessons. One lesson was to never judge somebody… Read more »
Your task is simple. Here is $115.50. It must last one week. You have no savings, no assets, but thankfully you’ve already paid your rent. That’s about $16 a day to cover food, bills, transport, entertainment and hygiene products.
We hope you like never going out, watching television and that none of your loved ones ever require a birthday present. Hopefully you’re not someone who requires much medication or needs to go the Doctor. We do hope you like basic carbohydrates or can cope with the embarrassment of having to ask a charity for a food parcel.
Welcome to the world of Australia’s depressed, stigmatised and disempowered Newstart recipients.
Continue reading "La dole cheque vita is not so sweet on $16 a day" »
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Daniel says:
It’s not that easy. I have been unemployed for nearly 12 months in a regional area and without being to afford to run a car I have not been able to get a job (I previously worked in freight logistics for ten years). Can’t afford to retrain myself and centrelink… Read more »
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billfromthebush says:
Thats 115 too much in my opinion, get off your collective lazy fat arses and get to work. bludgers. Read more »
There’s no way taxpayers should be supporting fit young people to lounge around for years on the dole, smoking joints and listening to Pink Floyd.
And no one wants their hard-earned being spent on a wannabe writer who houseshares with other ‘creatives’ living the dream while we eke out a meagre office-bound existence, soothed only by Friday night drinks and dreams of what might have been.
And we’ll be damned if we pay tax after levy after carbon price while someone who has ‘self esteem’ issues can’t get out of bed before lunch.
Continue reading "Abbott’s new era of work for the proles" »
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Cynic says:
whats really ironic is that it was the Liberals who gave the youngsters a ‘youth allowance’ thereby making welfare seem normal, is it any wonder that they then go on the dole? Abbott also needs to understand disabilities a little better, a lot of people on disability pensions would love… Read more »
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john says:
You know “Conviction Kitchen” is a TV program ? It’s not real you know… ALL employees of licensed venues must pass a police check BY LAW. Please stop talking out of your backside. Read more »
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