Thread: Centrelink, claiming the Aged Pension. Grrrrrrrrr!

Had similiar issues when I helped a friend complete his form a few years ago, the only good thing was they back paid him from the inital date of application.
It is all different now, they like everything to be done on the stupid MyGov website and not by telephone or in person - if you check any correspondence from them you will note there are no longer any telephone numbers listed.

Originally Posted by Shortie

Had similiar issues when I helped a friend complete his form a few years ago, the only good thing was they back paid him from the inital date of application.
It is all different now, they like everything to be done on the stupid MyGov website and not by telephone or in person - if you check any correspondence from them you will note there are no longer any telephone numbers listed.

Exactly! Many people in this age group struggle with computers etc. My friend can B-Pay but not email.
I have another friend who doesn't even own a mobile phone.

Originally Posted by Shortie

Had similiar issues when I helped a friend complete his form a few years ago, the only good thing was they back paid him from the inital date of application.
It is all different now, they like everything to be done on the stupid MyGov website and not by telephone or in person - if you check any correspondence from them you will note there are no longer any telephone numbers listed.

Shudder MyGov Website shudder.Who came up with that? Oh, and then there are the Apps. Apple have been doing Apps for ten years, Android a bit less. If I get on a 'plane, I can organise for a car to be waiting for me, pretty much anywhere in the world, when I land. I drove into Townsville about 18 months ago in a B-double, and there was a car alongside my truck by the time I idled down, and yet our government ( not political, mods, ANY government ) can't create an app that even works. God help you if you forget your password.

My mother will be 99 next month. How do you think she copes?

I have visited Centrelink,...a most unpleasant experience.
However, when I read in the press about the number of dole bludgers who do not even turn up for job interviews, but still are allowed their benefits, but then i read about the issues in this thread, I am convinced that there must be double standards existing in Centrelink,....which I do not doubt for one moment.
Pickles.

Originally Posted by Pickles2

dole bludgers .

There is an issue, right there. Stereotyping is not helpful. Many who are on the 'dole' would actually like a job. The system these days is not geared to helping, it is geared to penalising. So, we call disadvantaged people "bludgers". We say, "no work where you are? Move to Broome". Well, it might work, but not for long. People need their family.

I have worked pretty much all of my life. I have taken jobs that most people wouldn't ( drove a Western Star once, V8Ian ), and found myself once in Mitchell, Qld., with no job, and my (then) wife and newborn in Brisbane, with no money, no job, no car, no nothing. This was in the early 80's. Did anyone care? In those days it was the DSS. To get any help from them I had to be unemployed for twelve weeks, and I had to prove that I had been seeking work for all that time. Dunno if anyone here has been to Mitchell, but if you have, think back to 1984. The only jobs there were on the weir, and I'd just been sacked from that. No guaranteed separation in those days. You had to fight, and fighting took money. Oh, did I mention that in order to get a job there in the first place meant joining the AWU? Well, it did. Did they help me? Guess.

Pickles, I know what you are saying. I see people every day who choose not to help themselves. I have no sympathy for them, but I really feel for the poor buggers who want to have a go, but don't want to be baristas, which seems to be the only way forward in this current world.

Oh. Did I get home? Yes, I hitched, something that seemed reasonable in those days. Made no difference though, she left me anyway.

Originally Posted by johntins

There is an issue, right there. Stereotyping is not helpful. Many who are on the 'dole' would actually like a job. The system these days is not geared to helping, it is geared to penalising. So, we call disadvantaged people "bludgers". We say, "no work where you are? Move to Broome". Well, it might work, but not for long. People need their family.

I have worked pretty much all of my life. I have taken jobs that most people wouldn't ( drove a Western Star once, V8Ian ), and found myself once in Mitchell, Qld., with no job, and my (then) wife and newborn in Brisbane, with no money, no job, no car, no nothing. This was in the early 80's. Did anyone care? In those days it was the DSS. To get any help from them I had to be unemployed for twelve weeks, and I had to prove that I had been seeking work for all that time. Dunno if anyone here has been to Mitchell, but if you have, think back to 1984. The only jobs there were on the weir, and I'd just been sacked from that. No guaranteed separation in those days. You had to fight, and fighting took money. Oh, did I mention that in order to get a job there in the first place meant joining the AWU? Well, it did. Did they help me? Guess.

Pickles, I know what you are saying. I see people every day who choose not to help themselves. I have no sympathy for them, but I really feel for the poor buggers who want to have a go, but don't want to be baristas, which seems to be the only way forward in this current world.

Oh. Did I get home? Yes, I hitched, something that seemed reasonable in those days. Made no difference though, she left me anyway.

I ummed and ahhed about deleting that post, but hey, let it stand.

Originally Posted by Pickles2

I have visited Centrelink,...a most unpleasant experience.
However, when I read in the press about the number of dole bludgers who do not even turn up for job interviews, but still are allowed their benefits, but then i read about the issues in this thread, I am convinced that there must be double standards existing in Centrelink,....which I do not doubt for one moment.
Pickles.

In many cases the people who don't turn up didn't receive notice of the interview and so didn't even know about it. I know people like that.

When our oldest son was at university Centrelink LOST his complete file. Rather than admit their incompetence they just cut off his money and left him penniless. Then they demanded he re-produce every document he had ever given them, which took some time to obtain. Eventually they then made him wait several weeks before they restarted his Austudy - without any backpay.

Originally Posted by DiscoMick

In many cases the people who don't turn up didn't receive notice of the interview and so didn't even know about it. I know people like that.

When our oldest son was at university Centrelink LOST his complete file. Rather than admit their incompetence they just cut off his money and left him penniless. Then they demanded he re-produce every document he had ever given them, which took some time to obtain. Eventually they then made him wait several weeks before they restarted his Austudy - without any backpay.

The onus seems to be on you to ensure all is correct and what you are entitled too. They don't really help you and advise what you are legally entitled to.The staff are not qualified in the field. We have a compensation claim against them at the moment for lack of duty of care. when their staff enter information into the system incorrectly, even though you provided all the correct information , when they stuff up you have only 13 weeks by law to appeal, over that time they say "go whistle dixie"!
My Gov is a joke, you are often referred to go online when you go online the relevant thing is not there so you have to go in person to centrelink offices, there the ill informed staff say do it online.
Take medicare claims on my Gov, I tried on a Pc to enter the info and got rejected every time, when going to medicare office they informed me the Mygov claims for medicare only works on a phone app not on the big computers as they called it""
Getting harder and harder these days, I think it is to wear you out from claiming things , hence saving the Government money as people give up on legit entitlements