To Whom it May Concern
Over the last 4 years I have been either on ‘no job search requirements’ or a client of a ‘Disability Services Agency’. During this time on ‘Newstart’ my health has deteriorated to a horrifying degree (which I personally think is a result of not being able to afford nourishing food as often as my body requires.), this includes many problems with my eyesight as well as other health issues.
My point in writing this letter is that at the end of 2018 my ‘no job search’ had ceased. I rang Centrelink to be told it had ceased and I now needed to go to a job agency, this was NOT to be a DISABILITY provider which I queried at the time but could not get a reason for this from the officer even though I pointed out I had taken in a new medical certificate around July or August 2018. NB: My DSP application was refused, my last ‘assessment' with the department held with a person called ‘Louise’ was denigrating and disempowering, this was due to the fact this person told me that ‘you won’t know when a pill is developed’ (to help me), and when I was walking out advised me to reapply for DSP, my response is it is to hard.
Which it is and I am sick of being the reason some people (who in my opinion shouldn’t be) keep employed with no benefit for me. I attended ‘Tursa’ on 7 January at 1.00pm. At this appointment I asked why I was not to be with a disability provider again, at which the lass at Tursa, Laidley, said I could be and that she would double check with the ‘disability advocate’. He said they could change it (why can they do the right steps but not a ‘Centrelink’ employee?) to disability and that I would have to go back in on 9 January at 9.00am.
At this appointment I was given a ‘job plan’. I could not read this due to having severe eye problems on the day. I told the advisor that I would like to take it home to read it and I would try and get it back by Friday (he did offer to read it to me but I declined). Unfortunately my eyes were to painful and I was only able to read it in stages, part on Friday afternoon, continuing on Saturday then the final bit on Sunday.
On Saturday I received a text saying my payments had been suspended and I needed to contact my job search provider. I received another text on Sunday saying the same thing (I am NOT at all sure what I was supposed to do between Saturday morning and Sunday, but am happy to listen if someone could enlighten me).
I rang Centrelink 14 January to ask them my rights in this matter and WHY is a ‘disability provider’ and an ‘disability advocate’ (as stated on his card) allowed to not consider my health issues as I had stated to him? or does this not include eye issues? I received no phone call asking how I went with reading the paperwork before being ‘suspended’, surely a disability provider should be contacting the client to make sure the step they had trouble with had been completed BEFORE suspending the client? Personally I think this step is ‘common decency’ let alone something I feel should be part of their role.
Has our country and government and their agencies got so immune to others problems that there is no ‘care factor’ nor interest in people’s health problems even when those problems would cause further health issues and is the reason that this agency exists? Why do I only have recourse to ‘help’ from the agency that has had no CARE, no COMMON decency, and apparently have no interest in how anyone is affected by their actions? At least with ‘Centrelink’ there is some chance that their staff will do their job properly or confer with someone else if they are unable to answer a client’s questions.