The government has gifted us the bleakest Christmas in decades
Isolated from their families, and punished by job service industry: for welfare recipients, these holidays have been nothing short of nightmare.
“I'd actually like to give the government something for christmas: empathy.”
On Monday, the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations announced that there would be a mutual obligations suspension during the holidays between the 19th of December 2022, to the 2nd of January 2023. For some job seekers this was a small amount of relief, but far from helpful. For others who reported outside of that period, it has become nothing short of a nightmare: due to a mix of government incompetence and malice, thousands have been unfairly forced to perform mutual obligations over Christmas.
AUWU received a message from one such job seeker, Teejay, under these circumstances. They contacted their Job Service Provider (JSP) where they were informed that, “No matter what happened, there were no suspensions allowed during this period.”
Teejay double-checked their Workforce app, which notified him that he had demerits applied to his profile, and that he was required to attend an interview marked as an “URGENT TASK” mere days before Christmas.
By this time, he had checked into the Royal Prince Albert Hospital, for a potentially infected cut; from the emergency room, he called his JSP back, requesting to be forwarded to their case manager.
“I simply wanted to confirm with him verbally. I wanted this because I have had experiences with Centrelink and with JSPs in the past where bureaucratic mistakes have been made that have severely impacted my health and wellbeing. I was a victim of a fraudulent Robodebt in 2017 or so. One time I was even evicted from a rental property, years ago, because a Centrelink agent accidentally ticked the wrong box on a form. Anyone and everyone who reads the news knows that Centrelink are not to be taken at face value when you rely on them to pay rent and eat.”
AUWU has received dozens of stories from welfare recipients forced to stay home alone for the holidays, reporting that the shame of not being able to contribute or afford to travel, as well as concerns about COVID, are impacting their ability to spend time with their families.
Since Workforce Australia was rolled out by the Department of Education, Skills and Employment this year, it has been riddled with numerous problems, affecting the lives and mental health of those on welfare payments. While it was introduced by the previous government, it continues to be supported by the Albanese government under Employment Minister, Tony Burke, and the CEO of National Employment Services Australia, Sally Sinclair, who maintains that the “‘principles’ of the reforms were well-supported by the sector.”
There have been reports of those on welfare payments having to travel hundreds of kilometres from their homes, forced to attend face to face meetings, forced to attend “accredited” zoom meetings labelled as self-help courses, forced to attend meetings despite being employed therefore missing hours, pay, and risking their employment, contradictory to the ideals of the current policies.
Teejay reached out to his JSP again to try to clarify his situation, only to be spoken over multiple times and told, “I guess you’re a very special person. You’re a VIP and very special so let me just check that for you.”
Teejay’s story proceeds as the following:
“I blushed, apologised for talking over her, and asked if she could just put me onto my worker. She got my name, which she repeated ad infinitum while telling me in a sarcastic tone ‘How special I was.’
I was then informed that she actively attempted to give me a demerit. She would be able to see on the screen that giving me a demerit would automatically cut me off Centrelink. I would then have had to spend xmas crowdfunding for rent money and cancelling my travel plans.
I was appalled by this and asked her to confirm that she actually attempted to demerit me.
When I asked her if she was aware that if the computer system glitched out, I would have been cut off, she responded that she was aware and that it would have been such a shame to cancel me, but as said, I was special. I informed her that I do not think I am special and in fact am quite an anxious person. She laughed and hung up. I was shaking with rage and anxiety.I called the hotline number 5 minutes after this, simply to ask another agent, and to potentially complain, even though I know nothing would have happened to her.
The person who answered the phone did not introduce themselves, and there was an awkward pause. It turns out that this was the same agent. I asked her for her name and she repeatedly told me to never call this number ever again. I asked her to at least apologise, and for christ’s sake, just transfer me to my worker.
She refused both requests, stating that everyone was on early holidays ‘So that they can feel just as special as you.’ I informed her that I would be going to the Redfern office to speak to my worker in person and ask for her name. She told me to, ‘Go ahead, nobody is there, have fun.’After I repeated one last time, that I would like to forget this situation and move on, can you please just transfer me to my case manager, she said in a mocking tone, ‘Oh I’m not going to have to call another welfare check on you am I? I might just call a welfare check on you just in case.’
I was completely stunned. I asked if she was making a joke about my suicide attempt which is in my file notes.
She responded that she was.
She then segued into a mocking tone about how she asks everyone who she cares about whether they are going to harm themselves during the xmas period as it is a lonely time for some people.
She hung up on me soon after.”
After tweeting about their experience, Teejay was contacted by the AUWU, where he expanded upon the original incident. A local member of the AUWU will be attending the APM office with Teejay, and updates will be available on the AUWU twitter.
If you are experiencing difficulties with your JSP or Centrelink, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with the AUWU through our socials, or email us at advocacy@auwu.org.au.
If you need support you can seek guidance, counselling or crisis help from these organisations:
Lifeline on 13 11 14
Kids Helpline on 1800 551 800
MensLine Australia on 1300 789 978
Suicide Call Back Service on 1300 659 467
Beyond Blue on 1300 22 46 36
Headspace on 1800 650 890
QLife on 1800 184 527