<
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-04-04/coronavirus-forced-families-to-centrelink-empathy/12113048>
"It's been surreal to watch friends, family and the broader public
thrust so suddenly into a world I have inhabited for years: figuring out
how to navigate Centrelink.
The confusing bureaucracy and red tape can leave your head spinning.
It's even more surreal to see empathy in the community shift as many
understand for the first time the chaos that comes with losing your income.
Applying for Centrelink is a double-edged sword: it can make you feel
protected but can also leave you utterly powerless. The hoops you must
twist and contort through to receive a payment become increasingly
frustrating. I cannot tell you the number of times I have been left
sobbing on the phone to Centrelink.
What more people are beginning to understand now is that no one chooses
poverty. No one chooses to drop out of society and disengage with their
community, to let go of all their hopes and dreams. We get sick. We get
old. We become redundant. We have mental health problems. We have to
look after sick family members."
Via Clarice Boomshakala Bouvier, who wrote "to a more compassionate
and sane future."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://www.xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
http://www.glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
http://www.sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
