Politics Centrelink

[Mofra]

Don't you get emails to your regular email address whenever you get an email in Mygov?

No, will have to check it out. I've only logged on a handful of times really, a couple of times each for the ATO & Medicare.

 

[Number37]

Agreed, so true.
I've had to deal with centrelink and job agencies in my time.
The latter is completely useless, all they do is threaten to have you're money cut off, threaten work for the dole, threat you like a criminal, etc.
They do absolutely nothing to help people find work and work for the dole is biggest waste of time ever.
Yes let's get someone who genuinely wants to find work but is struggling to paint a fence with an ex convict on drugs.

Job search agencies are paid to police unemployed people on Centrelink benefits, it is a contractual term.
As it is a job nobody wants the government sweetens the deal by letting them make money by running schemes like 'how to write a resume', 'interviewing for dummies' etc.
In the last round of contract renewals it was not surprising that multi-national companies got a good deal of the contracts after conveniently forming alliances with local companies , the majority of whom are religiously affiliated.

 

[fleabitten]

I wonder if they catch enough dole cheats to justify their existence. In my experiences with them when between jobs, they provide nothing of value at all.

 

[Lakeside Swan]

A lot of the problems with Centrelink could be solved if the dole was cut or reduced for the long term unemployed. It's a disincentive to work and an incentive to use the welfare system. The additional resources (assuming there were no funding cuts) could be focused towards those who deserve it, it hose legitimately looking for work.

 

[Howard Littlejohn]

Don't you get emails to your regular email address whenever you get an email in Mygov?

But if you only get those intermittently, the password becomes an issue. Every time I log in I have to go through the password reset rubbish. Its basically only for Medicare and tax, though I will have to enrol with Centrelink at some point after losing my job a month ago.

 

[Brunswick Trap King]

But if you only get those intermittently, the password becomes an issue. Every time I log in I have to go through the password reset rubbish. Its basically only for Medicare and tax, though I will have to enrol with Centrelink at some point after losing my job a month ago.

Really? I've had the same password for probably 3-4 years.

I use it pretty frequently for youth allowance, though.

The biggest frustration was when I lost my phone since you need your phone to receive a validation code to log in. My girlfriend was back at her parents' for a week, so I was home alone. So, I was unable to report my earnings and get paid because I couldn't receive the message, and I couldn't call them either.

 

[Howard Littlejohn]

Really? I've had the same password for probably 3-4 years.

I use it pretty frequently for youth allowance, though.

The biggest frustration was when I lost my phone since you need your phone to receive a validation code to log in. My girlfriend was back at her parents' for a week, so I was home alone. So, I was unable to report my earnings and get paid because I couldn't receive the message, and I couldn't call them either.

Yeah I use it maybe twice a year, so never remember it.

 

[GreyCrow]

I meant the employment agencies.

They aren't supposed to either.

They WILL go the extra for those classified Stream C and maybe Stream B , but if you are classified Stream A you are deemed to be competent enough to find your own job . The JAP will help you with Interview Techniques , Resume Building and Transport Assistance .

This idea that they are there to find you work is wrong.

 

[Dry Rot]

They aren't supposed to either.

They WILL go the extra for those classified Stream C and maybe Stream B ,

Actually they don't. They just pocket the money.

 

[Number37]

Actually they don't. They just pocket the money.

The govt could save themselves a whole heap of money by paying the unemployed to find work.
X gets paid the dole + say 75% of whatever they pay the job network provider..for the 1st say 6 months they are unemployed.
If X gets a job then they get a bonus in line with the bonus the govt currently pays the job network provider.

 

[GreyCrow]

Actually they don't. They just pocket the money.

Do you work in a JNP or just making this up?

 

[Dry Rot]

Do you work in a JNP or just making this up?

Have known people in this streams and they never had a cent spent on them.

Also suggest you check out some Job Network threads here too:

http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/forum/135

 

[GreyCrow]

Have known people in this streams and they never had a cent spent on them.

Also suggest you check out some Job Network threads here too:

http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/forum/135

I don't need to. I have been on both sides. They certainly spent some money on me. When I moved to the other side of the equation I saw and heard of many instances of money being spent on Stream C and some on Stream B. Most of the people on those forums are Stream A and if they are capable of logging onto whirlpools forums they should find it easy to log onto Seek, JobSearch etc.

 

[medusala]

If we paid them alot more they would do a better job. They are selfless workers for society.

Didn't cost the government any more than they paying these ripoff companies.

Kevin Rudd says hi.

 

[Howard Littlejohn]

The govt could save themselves a whole heap of money by paying the unemployed to find work.
X gets paid the dole + say 75% of whatever they pay the job network provider..for the 1st say 6 months they are unemployed.
If X gets a job then they get a bonus in line with the bonus the govt currently pays the job network provider.

I don't see that would save the government anything much at all. The vast bulk of unemployed are genuinely looking for work, adding an extra payment won't assist that in any way. For the few that aren't, why force them (unless employers can't get people). It potentially leaves employers with employees who don't want to be there, and likely to be troublesome - and leaves someone who wants a job out of work.

Where govt may have a part to play is in assisting people to move (not forcing) so that people can apply outside the home area. Many don't have the savings required, especially if long term unemployed or young, to pack up and move. In areas where there are genuinely a shortage of people this might help.

 

[Mofra]

A lot of the problems with Centrelink could be solved if the dole was cut or reduced for the long term unemployed. It's a disincentive to work and an incentive to use the welfare system. The additional resources (assuming there were no funding cuts) could be focused towards those who deserve it, it hose legitimately looking for work.

Research suggests the opposite - increasing welfare payments actually assists people looking for work.
It's counter-intuitive which makes the results surprising.

As an aside, a government investigations review a few years ago found that for every dollar spent on welfare investigations, about $1 was returned.
For ATO investigations, almost $7 was returned.
If I had to focus government resources towards an area for investigation I know where I'd be looking.

 

[Zarrix]

The social welfare system in this country is in urgent need of repair, yet due to politics and the myth of the dole bludger; there is no hope of it ever being fixed, in fact quite the contrary. It's getting to the point where the system is becoming a pit of poverty, and I think that the tipping point isn't too far away. It's unreasonable to suggest that people could live on such a pitiful payment AND do punitive work for the dole programs AND to be able to give best effort in finding a job. Nevermind 'luxuries' that enable them to keep their health in reasonable check.

It's disgusting that politics has fundamentally broken a system that was designed to help the unfortunate and the people who need assistance. They think they are saving the economy by making further cuts to it; but instead I think they are damaging it by allowing the social welfare system to rot due to political and ideological ego stroking.

 

[GreyCrow]

The social welfare system in this country is in urgent need of repair, yet due to politics and the myth of the dole bludger; there is no hope of it ever being fixed, in fact quite the contrary. It's getting to the point where the system is becoming a pit of poverty, and I think that the tipping point isn't too far away. It's unreasonable to suggest that people could live on such a pitiful payment AND do punitive work for the dole programs AND to be able to give best effort in finding a job. Nevermind 'luxuries' that enable them to keep their health in reasonable check.

It's disgusting that politics has fundamentally broken a system that was designed to help the unfortunate and the people who need assistance. They think they are saving the economy by making further cuts to it; but instead I think they are damaging it by allowing the social welfare system to rot due to political and ideological ego stroking.

I agree with most of this. The under 30s are most affected with the imposition of 4 days a week WFD and also job searching.

 

[Zarrix]

WFD is nothing more than a sugar coated slave labour program that does nothing to help people find work in 98% of cases. Gods forbid the government actually providing useful programs such as VET/Training courses or reimbursement of costs for common certificates or licenses such as RSA, Forklift or First Aid. All the government is doing right now is keeping people in a spiral of unemployment.

 

[funk44]

I wonder if they catch enough dole cheats to justify their existence. In my experiences with them when between jobs, they provide nothing of value at all.

The money that goes in to catching a dole cheat far outweighs the pittance they get paid. The only time there is a 'crackdown' is for political point scoring reasons

 

[rdhopkins2]

Centrelink and their associated job agencies are a disgrace. That's as nice as I can put it. Even if you do the right thing, they are still rude, aggressive and hassle you. I've heard the pay at Centrelink is great but the hassle dealing with annoyed but polite customers like me or the nasty and aggressive types just wouldn't be worth it. You'd need weekly psychiatric evaluation to cope. Not the workers fault per se, they just operate according to the system rules they must implement.

But gee, when you give the same paperwork in 3 times, it apparently gets logged each time and you give the same answers to 10 different people that supposedly updated the system, no wonder people get frustrated with it all.

Best one was the Centrelink worker telling me to get a chicken boning job. Anyone who has seen me cutting will attest to my skills with a knife or sharp implement. Special mention to the Centrelink worker who told me to get another call centre job despite my psychologist at the time telling me not to take another battery hen job as the ongoing complaints and inability to help people do my head in. That's another story for call centre / customer service thread though (should name it Customer Dissatisfaction Department). Again it's the system and not the individual consultants in most cases.

Probably the one that takes the cake though was Centrelink encouraging me to take sickies from my pt job to attend interviews for call centre work.

 

[Howard Littlejohn]

A lot of the problems with Centrelink could be solved if the dole was cut or reduced for the long term unemployed. It's a disincentive to work and an incentive to use the welfare system. The additional resources (assuming there were no funding cuts) could be focused towards those who deserve it, it hose legitimately looking for work.

The vast bulk of the long term unemployed ARE legitimately looking for work. They either don't have the skills, or the sales ability to get a job. Or are living somewhere where there are no jobs. And once out of work for more than about 8 weeks, getting a job is a lot harder.
There are probably a few "bludgers", but why force them into work they don't want when there are tens of thousands of others who do want work and will provide much better value to employers simply because they will be keener.

One of the big problems is the pittance which is Newstart payment. A single person, with full rent assistance, cannot afford a basic one bedroom flat in most of our captials. Much less electricity, food, and the costs associated with looking for work (interview clothes, transport, internet, phone) on top of that.

If you really want to look at the disincentives though, start with the amount the payment gets cut for each dollar earned in part-time work. Once the Newstart cut, tax, and costs of getting to work are taken into account working a few hours a week can leave a person even worse off. And God help those requiring childcare.

 

[Long Live HFC]

the simple fact is some people are just unemployable. i don't see the benefit in forcing these types to jump through hoops to receive their fortnightly pittance. investigation and enforcement for anything less than mass rorting just isn't worth the time and money.

i think paying deadshits a fortnightly allowance so they are less likely to break into my home while im at work is money well-spent. due to work i spend an enormous amount of time with those whose sole income is centrelink. i don't envy their 'bludger' lifestyles one bit (but will always make jokes about it of course).

 

[Maggie5]

WFD is nothing more than a sugar coated slave labour program that does nothing to help people find work in 98% of cases. Gods forbid the government actually providing useful programs such as VET/Training courses or reimbursement of costs for common certificates or licenses such as RSA, Forklift or First Aid. All the government is doing right now is keeping people in a spiral of unemployment.

The problem is that there aren't many entry level jobs around and when the government boasts about jobs that they have created are predominately part time.
Only going to get worse when the MV industry is gone.
Very few apprenticeships available as well.

 

[Cash is King]

Geez aren't I glad I bypassed NSA straight through to the DSP, just like how 1 & 2 go straight to the preliminary final.

Throw in a few delivery jobs a couple of days a week + solid, consistent results on the punt all the while living with mum and getting away with **** all board and yep I'm on a pretty good wicket while y'all have to go to work everyday.