Politics Centrelink

[Bombermania]

That's a terrible indictment in itself.

Don't know anyone on the inside, but a few who see it from the pointy end and their feeling - almost to a man and woman - is there's quite a cost saving in driving people away. It's calculated.

Its calculated but its not really that straightforward, due to our politicians sitting separate from the department, some of them quite frankly are clueless and will only listen to the advise that is aligned with their worldview, sure there are ministers that take an in depth interest in their department another problem is that many politicians have no real experience or qualifications covering the department that they are responsible for although a minister can overcome their lack of experience or qualifications by taking a serious interest in their department.

 

[Proud SJW]

Is there anything in the perception that government - take your pick - really isn't interested in addressing the key issues and is content to see people become so frustrated they just give-up. Terrible indictment even if partially true.

I doubt that it's deliberately calculated, although I'm not in the field anymore so I have no firsthand experience.
I'd tend to think it's more one of those "well, this is an issue, but it's working in our favour anyway so leave it alone" types of things. An tacit (maybe) agreement among politicians and top level advisors and staff.

Centrelink is regarded as an "essential" service, it has no competition and cannot be privatised. So while positive customer satisfaction and public perception is ostensibly a goal, it really isn't in that it really doesn't matter what people think of Centrelink. It's clientele are not going to change significantly in terms of numbers or nature - they can't vote with their feet and have nowhere else to go.
So while public perception may be an issue, it comes down to priorities.

 

[Maggie5]

I was, actually. Worked for Social Security back in the day, know all about the bullshit stories people like to tell. And the clientele. And the staff, good and bad alike.
Which is not to say some of those stories aren't true, but in most cases there's far more to it than anyone likes to admit - or knows to ask about.

Good to know that you have worked there. Then you should know that not all are bullshit stories.

Staff at the moment are under incredible stress, regulations changing and poor systems (computer), lack of consultation with those that are using the systems before changes made) for example.

It was frustrating for my friend as she had all information going back 4 years at time of application but the system didn't want them at the time yet in the end was needed.

 

[SaintsSeptember]

I doubt that it's deliberately calculated, although I'm not in the field anymore so I have no firsthand experience.
I'd tend to think it's more one of those "well, this is an issue, but it's working in our favour anyway so leave it alone" types of things. An tacit (maybe) agreement among politicians and top level advisors and staff.

Centrelink is regarded as an "essential" service, it has no competition and cannot be privatised. So while positive customer satisfaction and public perception is ostensibly a goal, it really isn't in that it really doesn't matter what people think of Centrelink. It's clientele are not going to change significantly in terms of numbers or nature - they can't vote with their feet and have nowhere else to go.
So while public perception may be an issue, it comes down to priorities.

Centerlink can certainly be privatized.
They don't produce the welfare.
Certainly the process of distributing the funds and welfare can be privatized. In fact it may be a big improvement if the company that distributed the funds was separate to those evaluating the individuals.

 

[GreyCrow]

Privatising Centrelink will only have 1 consequence. Putting another barrier between the Government of the day and the upset

 

[Bombermania]

Not sure the financials could justify privatising Centrelink, its only source of revenue is from the government, maybe the government could outsource some of its functions but it wouldn't be the most attractive government asset for the private sector.

 

[Proud SJW]

Centerlink can certainly be privatized.
They don't produce the welfare.
Certainly the process of distributing the funds and welfare can be privatized. In fact it may be a big improvement if the company that distributed the funds was separate to those evaluating the individuals.

How so?
It's all automated. There is no bottleneck in funds distribution at all, so why introduce more risk?

As someone else has pointed out, introducing another line of middle-marketing isn't going to improve anything, it'd just become another expense.
I'd also guess you'd have significant staff and knowledge retention issues if you were to privatise it. If staff retention and brain-drain are already an issue when those staff are on government salaries and working conditions, it certainly wouldn't help to change that.

Most of the problem with the administration of social welfare in Australia is that it's so damned complicated. There's a separate benefit for just about any situation you care to name.
I'm more in favour of a guaranteed minimum income scheme and the abolishment of separated benefits altogether.
Although that comes with it's own issues.

 

[AM]

 

[fleabitten]

So my eldest kid finished high school in 2017 and is now at uni. Our family receives the family tax benefit and as soon as my daughter finished school, we lost about $250 per fortnight and she had to move onto Youth Allowance. She applied on January 2nd and it was supposed to take until Feb 26th for it to be processed. About a week after that date, she's informed that her claim has been rejected because she didn't include her tax file number. The thing is, she didn't have one and had to apply for that at the same time as making her claim. She had been told to include the evidence of her application for a tax file number with her claim, which she had done. She went into their office and the issue was supposedly sorted and she was told to wait about a week and all should be good. Two weeks later, still nothing (her mygov account still telling her that her claim was rejected) so she goes in there again. They say they can't help her and she has to call instead. She spends the next few hours making over 50 calls, all getting a busy signal. Finally gets through and is told to ignore the mygov message, everything seems to be in the system and she just has to wait. No clue how long. Today she gets a mygov email message telling her to make sure she includes required documents with her claim....but as far as we know, she's already included everything. She's gonna have to go back in there tomorrow (or spend half the day on the phone) just to figure out what it is they need from her.

We're pretty poor (I'm working only part-time at the moment and my wife is a full-time student), so losing $250 per fortnight has made things pretty tough. I was going to get my daughter to pay some board out of her youth allowance to make up a bit of the shortfall, but 3 months later and she's still not getting it and we have no idea when it will be processed. I hate complaining about stuff like this, because I already feel shitty about getting welfare and don't want to look like a jerk bitching about not getting free money fast enough, but...it's really a joke and they are ****ing with people's lives.

 

[Brunswick Trap King]

So my eldest kid finished high school in 2017 and is now at uni. Our family receives the family tax benefit and as soon as my daughter finished school, we lost about $250 per fortnight and she had to move onto Youth Allowance. She applied on January 2nd and it was supposed to take until Feb 26th for it to be processed. About a week after that date, she's informed that her claim has been rejected because she didn't include her tax file number. The thing is, she didn't have one and had to apply for that at the same time as making her claim. She had been told to include the evidence of her application for a tax file number with her claim, which she had done. She went into their office and the issue was supposedly sorted and she was told to wait about a week and all should be good. Two weeks later, still nothing (her mygov account still telling her that her claim was rejected) so she goes in there again. They say they can't help her and she has to call instead. She spends the next few hours making over 50 calls, all getting a busy signal. Finally gets through and is told to ignore the mygov message, everything seems to be in the system and she just has to wait. No clue how long. Today she gets a mygov email message telling her to make sure she includes required documents with her claim....but as far as we know, she's already included everything. She's gonna have to go back in there tomorrow (or spend half the day on the phone) just to figure out what it is they need from her.

We're pretty poor (I'm working only part-time at the moment and my wife is a full-time student), so losing $250 per fortnight has made things pretty tough. I was going to get my daughter to pay some board out of her youth allowance to make up a bit of the shortfall, but 3 months later and she's still not getting it and we have no idea when it will be processed. I hate complaining about stuff like this, because I already feel shitty about getting welfare and don't want to look like a jerk bitching about not getting free money fast enough, but...it's really a joke and they are ******* with people's lives.

If stories like these don't make people hate the disgusting ideology that is austerity, nothing will.

 

[Number37]

So my eldest kid finished high school in 2017 and is now at uni. Our family receives the family tax benefit and as soon as my daughter finished school, we lost about $250 per fortnight and she had to move onto Youth Allowance. She applied on January 2nd and it was supposed to take until Feb 26th for it to be processed. About a week after that date, she's informed that her claim has been rejected because she didn't include her tax file number. The thing is, she didn't have one and had to apply for that at the same time as making her claim. She had been told to include the evidence of her application for a tax file number with her claim, which she had done. She went into their office and the issue was supposedly sorted and she was told to wait about a week and all should be good. Two weeks later, still nothing (her mygov account still telling her that her claim was rejected) so she goes in there again. They say they can't help her and she has to call instead. She spends the next few hours making over 50 calls, all getting a busy signal. Finally gets through and is told to ignore the mygov message, everything seems to be in the system and she just has to wait. No clue how long. Today she gets a mygov email message telling her to make sure she includes required documents with her claim....but as far as we know, she's already included everything. She's gonna have to go back in there tomorrow (or spend half the day on the phone) just to figure out what it is they need from her.

We're pretty poor (I'm working only part-time at the moment and my wife is a full-time student), so losing $250 per fortnight has made things pretty tough. I was going to get my daughter to pay some board out of her youth allowance to make up a bit of the shortfall, but 3 months later and she's still not getting it and we have no idea when it will be processed. I hate complaining about stuff like this, because I already feel shitty about getting welfare and don't want to look like a jerk bitching about not getting free money fast enough, but...it's really a joke and they are ******* with people's lives.

Many, if not all, unis have Education Welfare Officers who can help your daughter deal with Centrelink. EWO's (or whatever they are called at your daughter's uni) usually have a direct contact at Centrelink.

 

[fleabitten]

Many, if not all, unis have Education Welfare Officers who can help your daughter deal with Centrelink. EWO's (or whatever they are called at your daughter's uni) usually have a direct contact at Centrelink.

Wasn't aware of that. That could be really helpful. I'll let her know.

Thanks, dude.

 

[Bombermania]

If stories like these don't make people hate the disgusting ideology that is austerity, nothing will.

We don't have austerity, the ALP's policies have more in common with austerity than this government does, this government has spent money like a drunken sailor spills their drink. The above story just shows how stuffed up the welfare system is and has been for years, not helped by this government being useless.

 

[NSWCROW]

I assume we've all seen this by now ?

Old mate no doubt was too busy re-arranging his shed 75 times in 2hrs off-wig to fill out his fortnightly , those baby arms give him away.

Go suss the Murdoch press facebook comments on this , half of them are cheering the racist in him while the other half bag the bludger in him , it's actually hilarious.


What ISN'T hilarious is the fact that NOW this has hit mainstream media they've announced an " URGENT " review into security/penalties for abusiveness.
Which is all well-and-good , they're not just gonna say suddenly " Oh yeah you done your 'nana , here's your newstart back " are they ?
It's not like this is the 1st time someones lost their shit at the ces/dss/centrewank is it ?

 

[Number37]

I assume we've all seen this by now ?

Old mate no doubt was too busy re-arranging his shed 75 times in 2hrs off-wig to fill out his fortnightly , those baby arms give him away.

Go suss the Murdoch press facebook comments on this , half of them are cheering the racist in him while the other half bag the bludger in him , it's actually hilarious.


What ISN'T hilarious is the fact that NOW this has hit mainstream media they've announced an " URGENT " review into security/penalties for abusiveness.
Which is all well-and-good , they're not just gonna say suddenly " Oh yeah you done your 'nana , here's your newstart back " are they ?
It's not like this is the 1st time someones lost their shit at the ces/dss/centrewank is it ?

When they redrafted the code of conduct for Centrelink about a decade ago they included a provision that Centrelink/Jobnetwork providers could refuse service to anyone that is abusive/aggressive. Refusing service includes suspending payment.

So they already have the capability to deal with those type of scenarios, the announcement is just the usual smoke & mirrors from the lying LNP govt.

 

[NSWCROW]

When they redrafted the code of conduct for Centrelink about a decade ago they included a provision that Centrelink/Jobnetwork providers could refuse service to anyone that is abusive/aggressive. Refusing service includes suspending payment.

So they already have the capability to deal with those type of scenarios, the announcement is just the usual smoke & mirrors from the lying LNP govt.

Got it in one mate.
As i said , it's only happened because it's made 7 and Nein
Now they'll tighten it even more ( for ordinary decent abusive clients )

 

[Number37]

Got it in one mate.
As i said , it's only happened because it's made 7 and Nein
Now they'll tighten it even more ( for ordinary decent abusive clients )

Hopefully a disgruntled Centrlinkian will take them to task...it is not like the LNP need another reason to refuse welfare to people in need.

 

[Taylor]

the announcement is just the usual smoke & mirrors from the lying LNP govt.

Nothing to do with the media running with a provocative story they know will stir up drama and the government knowing that they have to respond in some way because of that?

The media requires comment on subjects or they run with a story about the government not caring about it, which they spin as condoning the behavior.

It's all to do with the instant gratification population.

 

[Number37]

Nothing to do with the media running with a provocative story they know will stir up drama and the government knowing that they have to respond in some way because of that?

The media requires comment on subjects or they run with a story about the government not caring about it, which they spin as condoning the behavior.

It's all to do with the instant gratification population.

24 hour news cycle is going to ruin us.

 

[Proud SJW]

When they redrafted the code of conduct for Centrelink about a decade ago they included a provision that Centrelink/Jobnetwork providers could refuse service to anyone that is abusive/aggressive. Refusing service includes suspending payment.

Does it?

 

[Number37]

Does it?

Social Security Legislation Amendment (Further Strengthening Job Seeker Compliance) Bill 2015

Amends the Social Security (Administration) Act 1999 in relation to the job seeker compliance framework by: strengthening and aligning financial penalties for failure to enter into an Employment Pathway Plan; suspending participation payments and applying financial penalties for failure to behave in an appropriate manner at an appointment; enabling more immediate application of financial penalties for failure to participate in activities or job interviews; suspending participation payments for inadequate job search; removing waivers for serious financial penalties incurred for refusing or failing to accept a suitable job; renaming all failures resulting in short-term financial penalties as ‘no show no pay’ failures; and removing redundant provisions.

 

[Proud SJW]

Have you got a definitions section in which that "behavior" line is expanded on?
My experience has often been that in many of these cases, a further committee is required to interpret and define the legislation passed down by the first.

Either way, I have no problem with that. Other than that I think it'd be extremely difficult to invoke or enforce.
My guess at this stage would be that the number of times anything like that actually has been enforced would be far lower than the number of times it probably should be.

Any attempt to do so would be met by howls of outrage and factually-threadbare social justice stories in the media, leading to a reversal and punishment for all involved... other than the perpetrator.

 

[Number37]

Yeah of course, job network providers are not only Mother Theresa incarnate, they would never use their position of power against welfare recipient & even if they did, it would always be the fault of the welfare recipient. <sarcasm>

 

[Proud SJW]

Speaking from experience, are you?
Besides, I thought we were talking about Centrelink.

 

[Number37]

Speaking from experience, are you?
Besides, I thought we were talking about Centrelink.

You're either writing racist shit or inane insults that a 10 year old could come up with.
I hate to break it to ya, but that ain't very creative and it just makes it easier to continue having nothing but contempt for your inane, racist musings.