I am writing to advise that as a registered ‘Voluntary’ active Australian and skilled jobseeker that after 10 long years of attending regular fortnightly ‘go nowhere’ employment provider appointments with various employment providers, that I have had enough of the ineffectiveness of a system which simply doesn’t work and an employment services system which is unable to assist those already skilled jobseekers wishing to work, to feel inclusive in society, contribute, and those wishing to support their family independently and without assistance from the Australian government.
The ignorance and the way that Australian jobseekers are treated in the system particularly in Disability Employment Services who are left in the system year after year without hope and adequate assistance is appauling. 10 long years as a once financially independent and skilled jobseeker trying to re-enter the workforce without adequate employment assistance, now left socially isolated and professionally and financially disadvantaged, attending employment service appointments, that simply lead to no positive outcome, 10 long years of making the same complaints over and over without change to legislation and policies, denied access to traineeships where a skills shortage exists, denied access to government programmes such as Restart as a mature age Australian jobseeker in Disability Employment Services, and treated as worthless as a mother with young children to support by several government departments who mislead the general public in the services they provide and who take no accountability, when disputing my case to be given the right employment assistance and right to work.
After 10 long years I am now discouraged from jobseeking and like many other Australians, no longer can continue on this path and are exiting from the employment service system indefinitely due to mental and physical exhaustion of the jobseeking process which has contributed to poor health.
As such, I will now no longer be counted as ‘looking for work’ nor ‘unemployed’. Certainly I have not been encouraged to look for work and have done so of my own free will, rather than provide adequate employment assistance and encouragement, Australian jobseekers continue to be punished in a system that does not recognise its failures and that does not willingly act to resolve with any positive outcome.