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Ms Ranty Ranty-pants

I've been trying to organise some money to live on for the last two weeks, ever since my teaching contract expired at the end of November (two weeks before the end of term so they don't have to pay me over the holidays). While I do qualify for the "Lump  Sum Summer Payment" from the Department of Education, it doesn't come through until the end of the month. In the meantime, and for the rest of the summer break (unless I can find some temp work), I need some help from Centrelink.

I was being supported by the Disability Support Pension until about 4 weeks ago, when they changed their policy and dropped me (and many others in my situation). I had previously been assured that it would be there for me over the summer break, even though it didn't pay me any money while I was earning. With the loss of the DSP also came the loss of subsidised medications (OMG, I had no idea what they really cost(, my electricity subsidy, and my subsidised stamps from the Post Office. Probably some other stuff as well, that hasn't come to light yet.

So, I've been trying to apply for Newstart (I really doubt I'll be eligible for the DSP again, as I have shown I *can* work), but to my surprise - and frustration, after driving around for 2 hours to find a Centrelink office I could park near - I was told that Newstart claims are all done online now. Here, you can use our computer.

After eventually logging on (having no available data on my phone, couldn't look up my login and password, so they took me through a password retrieval process), the services were all UNAVAILABLE. Unavailable. I would have to go home and try again later.

One of the first things I had to do after coming off the DSP was radically reduce my expenses; first casualty was my home phone and internet. So I can't do online things at home. Fortunately, I live extremely close to a public library, which offers an hour a day of free computer and internet use, and unlimited wifi if you bring in your own device.

This is only useful if the website you're accessing is WORKING. I visited the Centrelink office on the 2nd December. Ten days later, I still haven't been able to complete my claim, due to persistent service outages and errors.

I also can't phone Centrelink, as their queue estimate for today, both early this morning and at lunchtime was in in excess of 90 minutes. I can't pay my current phone bill, so can't rack up 90+minutes of being on hold on my mobile, even if my patience could stand it.

My only other course of action was to lodge a complaint, and in order to do that I had to come into the library again. The Centrelink mobile app doesn't include any Contact Us function that I could find*. So I've complained about my inability to complete my claim, due to their frequent online service failures, and requested a call back. I'll just have to wait and see if that helps.

In the meantime, I've had to ask my Mum for help. She's paying for a delivery of cat food, so I can keep my furkids healthy. I'm very lucky she is in a position to do this for me. (Thanks, Mum!)

Rant over. For now.

*Found it now. But I find typing at length on my phone really aggravating, so would have come in to use a computer anyway.

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