Thursday, 31 July 2014
The Wilke Report
This is new. Independent senator Andrew Wilke reports on the state of the budget in the senate.
Clive Palmer calls Sloppy Joe a liar
Clive Palmer has lambasted the gov in an extraordinary hissy fit of truth. Sloppy Joe's doing his usual huffing and puffing heating up the atmosphere, claiming if the senate doesn't pass his budget then Australia will lose it's triple A credit rating. Yeah right......
Anyway Clive Palmer has blasted him with both barrels. Including telling the gov the budget is fucked and we should go to an early election.
Anyway Clive Palmer has blasted him with both barrels. Including telling the gov the budget is fucked and we should go to an early election.
Mr Palmer said: ''The budget strategy has failed. They don't have the numbers and we need a strategy for growth.''
He said Mr Hockey's suggestion that the AAA credit rating was at risk was a lie.
''I've been in business for years. The budget savings amount to about $30-40 billion, our economy is about $1.5 trillion,'' he said.
''There were about $17 billion in measures from the mining tax; we wanted to keep about $10 billion worth. They could have got rid of it and implemented about $7 billion in savings, but they decided to link it all together, take their marbles and go home.'' Read more
Centrelink forms lodged!
The trip to Centrelink was almost an anti-climax. After a month of being clobbered by red tape and incompetence from various quarters, the Centrelink experience seemed rather calm and placid. In fact I almost felt at home there in comparison to the bureaucracy encountered in the lead up. This month long drama (so far) has all been so David can get a massive $300 or less in a Sickness Allowance; a temporary stop gap measure to give people some money who are ill and have a job to go back to.
We got there and there was hardly anyone there. Have never seen the place so empty. So David was called in only about half an hour. The ID was enough, the forms all correct, and officially lodged. It takes now about two weeks he said to process the forms. There'll be a bit of backpay, not sure the dates they'll go back to, just glad to get the bloody things in.
We were both feeling quite sick, nerves I'd say. I was waiting with almost expectant anticipation for something to foul up everything, but it all went entirely smoothly. The bloke doing it was quite funny too. He couldn't believe the fuck up with the birth certificate; a month to get it from Births Deaths and Marriages in the city.
And so now we wait for Centrelink to do what they do to process the forms......
We got there and there was hardly anyone there. Have never seen the place so empty. So David was called in only about half an hour. The ID was enough, the forms all correct, and officially lodged. It takes now about two weeks he said to process the forms. There'll be a bit of backpay, not sure the dates they'll go back to, just glad to get the bloody things in.
We were both feeling quite sick, nerves I'd say. I was waiting with almost expectant anticipation for something to foul up everything, but it all went entirely smoothly. The bloke doing it was quite funny too. He couldn't believe the fuck up with the birth certificate; a month to get it from Births Deaths and Marriages in the city.
And so now we wait for Centrelink to do what they do to process the forms......
Wednesday, 30 July 2014
Hello Brazil :)
I would like to say hello to Brazil. For the first time Brazil has made it into the top ten countries reading the blog. So pleased. It's the first time any South American country has done this. How lovely :) x x x
These are the latest page views for the week:
These are the latest page views for the week:
Torrent terror! Gov wants to block us downloading shows!
Eeeeek! Oh no! Being poor as we presently are, we can't go out and find ourselves very isolated at home. Indeed poverty can be that way. So yeah we download the odd show or two, free entertainment all available for nothing online. Currently we're following Under The Dome, True Blood, and the new Wentworth from Australia (modern "Prisoner"). We also watch the two that aren't playing at the moment as it's between series, Game of Thrones and Walking Dead. Yeah big deal man. Shoot us.
So Brandis in the gov now of course, being in the pocket of corporations, wants to have a go at stopping this. I mean FFS why? He wants to be so mean as to stop a pensioner from getting some free entertainment? Something that will add some little bit of enjoyment to their lives. I mean seriously, how much money are these companies making anyway? Fuck, a few domestic downloads in Australia's not going to kill them. Good grief.
There is of course the thing that we Australians are the (per capita) biggest ever illegal downloaders on the planet. So is that our fault? Watch the video and the true picture comes to light, especially when they talk about how much pay TV costs in Australia. It's so expensive it's completely un-accessible for many people. Plus there's Australia's isolation. Free to air network TV here often seems to put off playing shows like this for months. So why wait when it's all there online?
So Brandis in the gov now of course, being in the pocket of corporations, wants to have a go at stopping this. I mean FFS why? He wants to be so mean as to stop a pensioner from getting some free entertainment? Something that will add some little bit of enjoyment to their lives. I mean seriously, how much money are these companies making anyway? Fuck, a few domestic downloads in Australia's not going to kill them. Good grief.
There is of course the thing that we Australians are the (per capita) biggest ever illegal downloaders on the planet. So is that our fault? Watch the video and the true picture comes to light, especially when they talk about how much pay TV costs in Australia. It's so expensive it's completely un-accessible for many people. Plus there's Australia's isolation. Free to air network TV here often seems to put off playing shows like this for months. So why wait when it's all there online?
Birth Certificate arrives!
We both heard a loud knock on the door. David jumped up and just about ran to the door. Very strange, nobody there. So he looks around to see where the guy was, walks up and down. Nobody. So he checked the letterbox in case it was the postie.
It was! They'd left the note in the letterbox to take to the post office to pick it up and sign for it. They must have knocked on the door and fuckin run. Sounds like a guilty conscience to me. I'd have had a few words to say to the guy if he was there, David as well.
Anyway David's going to the post office to get it now. It's only a small post office so I guess this letter is pretty infamous there now. I'll suggest to David he give fuckwit a sarcastic wave whilst he's there.
It was! They'd left the note in the letterbox to take to the post office to pick it up and sign for it. They must have knocked on the door and fuckin run. Sounds like a guilty conscience to me. I'd have had a few words to say to the guy if he was there, David as well.
Anyway David's going to the post office to get it now. It's only a small post office so I guess this letter is pretty infamous there now. I'll suggest to David he give fuckwit a sarcastic wave whilst he's there.
"Today Tonight" dole bludger lies - Mediawatch
Watch as a Today Tonight dole bludger report is dissected by Mediawatch:
Questions being asked - Adani video takedown
How interesting. On going to one of my regular blog reads, what do you know right there is the GetUp video about Adani, linking to a story about it on an "NMR" site I've never heard of before.
The author raises some pertinent questions:
As for all this sudden negative publicity Adani is getting, looks like their sneaking trick is backfiring on them big time.
The author raises some pertinent questions:
A bogus copyright claim can still take a video offline for a significant period of time. YouTube does have a counter claim process which allows channel owners to submit proof that they own the content in question, but that process can be time consuming. In matters of public policy that time can be critical. Should organizations or even brands invest in creating content for YouTube if their campaigns can be easily disrupted by abuse of the copyright claim system? moreI think it's an issue YouTube should address, simply as a matter of public importance.
As for all this sudden negative publicity Adani is getting, looks like their sneaking trick is backfiring on them big time.
GetUp releases anti-Adani video, again
Our completely wacko gov has approved Australia's biggest coal mine to go ahead, meaning the Great Barrier Reef will be dredged and have untold coal ships going through it. The mine will create as much pollution as the entire country of New Zealand. This at a time of global warming crisis. In anyone's language, this is insanity.
However Adani needs $10billion from investors. GetUp has decided to target these investors online with the newly released video and a very smart online program that brings up the video in online searches about Adani. To do that they're seeking continuing donations here to fund the advertising. The video is already going bananas online.
This is turning into one hell of a punch up between Adani and GetUp. But seriously, will investors lend Adani $10billion to wreck the Reef?
However Adani needs $10billion from investors. GetUp has decided to target these investors online with the newly released video and a very smart online program that brings up the video in online searches about Adani. To do that they're seeking continuing donations here to fund the advertising. The video is already going bananas online.
This is turning into one hell of a punch up between Adani and GetUp. But seriously, will investors lend Adani $10billion to wreck the Reef?
Calmness over anxiety
Phew. Think am finally starting to get a grip on this terrible anxiety I've been experiencing the last week or two. Have been feeling psychically ill in the stomach for at least a week now, not eating or sleeping well. David had something interesting to say about it; that I get ahead of myself. I think we all do that now and then. I guess lately I've been expecting more help from the system rather than red tape brick wall after brick wall.
So I followed the psychologists advice and followed up with ringing ACON about getting put on the Housing list. Made an appt to see them with David next Wednesday. The purpose being to calm my head down about becoming homeless with options available through the Dept of Housing. It does seem to have calmed me down a bit just making the appt.
I suggested to David also to ring Centrelink and let them know what's going on in case they dream up some terrible bit of red tape over the whole affair when we finally get there. So we had the soft tones of Centrelink muzak playing for about half an hour on Centrelink hold. He gets through OK though and that's all still fine with everything still in order at Centrelink with it. That makes me feel a lot better too.
David went to the dreaded Kingsford Post Office yesterday as well. Paid the money on the electricity bill and explained to them what had been going on with this birth cert. The lady was the nice one there, fuckwit wasn't. She was really helpful and looked out the back but it's not there yet. Births Deaths and Marriages had told David it was entering their mailing system on Sunday, and sometimes it can take a few days. Well at least we're watching now and it'll have to turn up at that post office at some point, even if they forget where I live again :s
David also mentioned to her about what happened on Friday and that I'd made a big complaint about it through the online web form. I laughed when he told me. She was standing right next to fuckwit when he was being so repulsive. Well I'd like to be a fly on the wall when she tells him that :) That made me feel a lot better too.
So I followed the psychologists advice and followed up with ringing ACON about getting put on the Housing list. Made an appt to see them with David next Wednesday. The purpose being to calm my head down about becoming homeless with options available through the Dept of Housing. It does seem to have calmed me down a bit just making the appt.
I suggested to David also to ring Centrelink and let them know what's going on in case they dream up some terrible bit of red tape over the whole affair when we finally get there. So we had the soft tones of Centrelink muzak playing for about half an hour on Centrelink hold. He gets through OK though and that's all still fine with everything still in order at Centrelink with it. That makes me feel a lot better too.
David went to the dreaded Kingsford Post Office yesterday as well. Paid the money on the electricity bill and explained to them what had been going on with this birth cert. The lady was the nice one there, fuckwit wasn't. She was really helpful and looked out the back but it's not there yet. Births Deaths and Marriages had told David it was entering their mailing system on Sunday, and sometimes it can take a few days. Well at least we're watching now and it'll have to turn up at that post office at some point, even if they forget where I live again :s
David also mentioned to her about what happened on Friday and that I'd made a big complaint about it through the online web form. I laughed when he told me. She was standing right next to fuckwit when he was being so repulsive. Well I'd like to be a fly on the wall when she tells him that :) That made me feel a lot better too.
Tuesday, 29 July 2014
Paralysis
Sort of stumbled through the day at home today. Found myself numb again. Haven't felt like this for quite some time. I went into the sitting in the chair staring into space thing. Switched off. Not able to connect with present reality. Paralysis. Mental and emotional.
Despite this I managed to ring ACON housing help bit, and an appt has been arranged for both me and David to go in with this Housing form I've printed out and filled out. This is on the advice of the psychologist yesterday saying to go full steam ahead with if for no other reason than to give me some vague sort of peace of mind about not becoming homeless. The appt is next week.
But it's like it means nothing. Like I've been wandering through the day completely numb. Walking through the procedures of life on auto. The pain a barrier to life.
Despite this I managed to ring ACON housing help bit, and an appt has been arranged for both me and David to go in with this Housing form I've printed out and filled out. This is on the advice of the psychologist yesterday saying to go full steam ahead with if for no other reason than to give me some vague sort of peace of mind about not becoming homeless. The appt is next week.
But it's like it means nothing. Like I've been wandering through the day completely numb. Walking through the procedures of life on auto. The pain a barrier to life.
The Dubai Fountain - amazing :)
David was telling me about this bloke from Dubai a while back who was raving about it's fountains. He'd never seen them so we looked it up. Here's a video of them. Amazing :)
Centrelink hoops - cartoon :)
How very apt. Only thing is, we haven't actually got to the front door yet.
Hugely depressed today
Woke up this morning feeling hugely depressed. Didn't want to get out of bed even but did. Burst into tears when I was taking this morning's pills. Have been teary for days. We hugged each other in the midst of pain. I felt like I'd had enough.
I'm not leaving the house today. Not capable of facing anything.
David's going to pay the money on the electricity bill at the post office, and see again if the infamous birth cert has turned up there. No, it still didn't come yesterday, although they said they'd sent it only the day before. I don't trust myself to go in that post office after they way I was treated in there last time.
Psychologist made an appt in two weeks instead of a month this time. Some worrying signs emerged from yesterdays meeting. Pretty much am starting to come to bits at the seams. Sick to death of it all.
The "have you been thinking of suicide?" question drew a "yes" response. Of course that's going to be in the back of my mind as an option. It always has been, although an option not considered viable under normal circumstances. So yes, but not serious thoughts about it.
I'm not leaving the house today. Not capable of facing anything.
David's going to pay the money on the electricity bill at the post office, and see again if the infamous birth cert has turned up there. No, it still didn't come yesterday, although they said they'd sent it only the day before. I don't trust myself to go in that post office after they way I was treated in there last time.
Psychologist made an appt in two weeks instead of a month this time. Some worrying signs emerged from yesterdays meeting. Pretty much am starting to come to bits at the seams. Sick to death of it all.
The "have you been thinking of suicide?" question drew a "yes" response. Of course that's going to be in the back of my mind as an option. It always has been, although an option not considered viable under normal circumstances. So yes, but not serious thoughts about it.
Monday, 28 July 2014
Carbon tax repeal - dumbest decision ever - video
OMG. This bloke hits the nails right on the head. A brilliant video, very well thought out and funny, and entirely factual :)
Today's psychologist meeting
The meeting today with the psychologist was very animated.
Whilst I related the bullshit that we'd been going through, he kept shaking his head in disbelief. As I had my big bag of paperwork, I even pulled out the complete history of the $60,000, the printout of 10 or so pages, detailing every transaction to the present day with the current balance of $1. I demonstrated how easy it was to follow and understand and how it showed beyond doubt that I did not have $60,000 after paying debts and living off the redundancy for a year. I explained that this wasn't enough proof for BGF, and pointed to the single line on the Centrelink Income Statement that they questioned and had to be fixed. He could not believe they made me go to Centrelink to get such a minor adjustment made to the form.
I then raved on about the comparison with BGF and Centrelink and used the 10 page printout as a prop. I lifted all 10 pages and said that wasn't enough for BGF. I then lifted the first page off the top and said that was plenty for Centrelink, and they didn't even keep the copy or photocopy it.
His take was that I appear to be in problem solving mode (thank fuck I'm a bloke eh) and concentrating on moving forward and resolving issues. Which is good. What is bad is that in doing so I'm being dealt a hand of stress beyond my capacity to deal with. I appear to be though the most capable one between David and I to deal with this due to my vast experience with gov dept's and dealing with them. David is at the moment so stressed out with the Battle With Bureaucracy that he doesn't seem to be very capable with it.
In summary, we're both falling to bits in the head, but I seem to be falling to bits a bit less than David. I think that means that David must be really in trouble :s
He also thought applying at Housing was an excellent idea. If for no other reason than to reduce stress for both of us about being homeless. I won't do homelessness. Not after working so hard for 30 years. I won't end up begging on the streets. Will kill myself before that.
As fate would have it, I'd already thought of this , printed out the forms, and filled them out. We're just a bit paused on them as both of us have to get reports from our doctors for them. Not hard just takes time.
I reported to BGF when I was there that I'd just been to the psychologist and he recommended I apply for Housing again. She said to go back to ACON about it, referred by her, as they are informed about getting on the priority Housing list and know how to do it for you. I guess I'll ring them I suppose and arrange an appt again.
Whilst I related the bullshit that we'd been going through, he kept shaking his head in disbelief. As I had my big bag of paperwork, I even pulled out the complete history of the $60,000, the printout of 10 or so pages, detailing every transaction to the present day with the current balance of $1. I demonstrated how easy it was to follow and understand and how it showed beyond doubt that I did not have $60,000 after paying debts and living off the redundancy for a year. I explained that this wasn't enough proof for BGF, and pointed to the single line on the Centrelink Income Statement that they questioned and had to be fixed. He could not believe they made me go to Centrelink to get such a minor adjustment made to the form.
I then raved on about the comparison with BGF and Centrelink and used the 10 page printout as a prop. I lifted all 10 pages and said that wasn't enough for BGF. I then lifted the first page off the top and said that was plenty for Centrelink, and they didn't even keep the copy or photocopy it.
His take was that I appear to be in problem solving mode (thank fuck I'm a bloke eh) and concentrating on moving forward and resolving issues. Which is good. What is bad is that in doing so I'm being dealt a hand of stress beyond my capacity to deal with. I appear to be though the most capable one between David and I to deal with this due to my vast experience with gov dept's and dealing with them. David is at the moment so stressed out with the Battle With Bureaucracy that he doesn't seem to be very capable with it.
In summary, we're both falling to bits in the head, but I seem to be falling to bits a bit less than David. I think that means that David must be really in trouble :s
He also thought applying at Housing was an excellent idea. If for no other reason than to reduce stress for both of us about being homeless. I won't do homelessness. Not after working so hard for 30 years. I won't end up begging on the streets. Will kill myself before that.
As fate would have it, I'd already thought of this , printed out the forms, and filled them out. We're just a bit paused on them as both of us have to get reports from our doctors for them. Not hard just takes time.
I reported to BGF when I was there that I'd just been to the psychologist and he recommended I apply for Housing again. She said to go back to ACON about it, referred by her, as they are informed about getting on the priority Housing list and know how to do it for you. I guess I'll ring them I suppose and arrange an appt again.
BGF success!
The efforts, filled with frustration and anxiety as they were, have finally come to fruition. I am now the proud recipient of $250 in vouchers towards the $570 electricity bill, provided through BGF :) Good grief, I feel like framing the bloody things. It was touch and go though, very nearly falling over at the last hurdle.
I had zee Centrelink paperz. All good now that they officially said I was poor (had less than $5,000). That was fine. Then I gave the 10 page printout of the last two months of my account transactions. All fine. Then we go through other details and get to contact details of next of Kin.
Next of Kin......well my daughter hates me and wont even tell me where she's living, so I said David my partner. She goes "Oh..... Are your finances all together?" looking rather anxious. But I was prepared. I said that they sort of were, what's left of them, but I'd printed out the last two months of transactions on his account as well.
I had a scary second or two when I couldn't find it straight away out of my big bag of stuff. I did however find it (folded up next to the old Centrelink Income Statement) and presented it sort of offhandedly, to much appreciation. I pointed out the two or so months on it where he had no money coming in at all, and the tax refund cheque that came because his yearly income fell below the tax free threshold.
And that was it! I was then presented with my electricity bill that I'd left with them on Friday, with the $250 of vouchers attached. Fuck me, success!
I had zee Centrelink paperz. All good now that they officially said I was poor (had less than $5,000). That was fine. Then I gave the 10 page printout of the last two months of my account transactions. All fine. Then we go through other details and get to contact details of next of Kin.
Next of Kin......well my daughter hates me and wont even tell me where she's living, so I said David my partner. She goes "Oh..... Are your finances all together?" looking rather anxious. But I was prepared. I said that they sort of were, what's left of them, but I'd printed out the last two months of transactions on his account as well.
I had a scary second or two when I couldn't find it straight away out of my big bag of stuff. I did however find it (folded up next to the old Centrelink Income Statement) and presented it sort of offhandedly, to much appreciation. I pointed out the two or so months on it where he had no money coming in at all, and the tax refund cheque that came because his yearly income fell below the tax free threshold.
And that was it! I was then presented with my electricity bill that I'd left with them on Friday, with the $250 of vouchers attached. Fuck me, success!
BAB continues
Feeling quite ill this morning. Have to go out though and continue on where we left off on Friday in the Battle Against Bureaucracy. David is manning the phone to try and get on to Births Deaths and Marriages and I have appts.
As luck would have it, turns out that my psychologist appt is this morning, so I cancelled the GP one for that. Aren't I gonna have a lot of shit to talk about today. I'm still stressed beyond what I can handle. Probably why I'm feeling so ill. Spewed up a tablet and had to take another one.
After the psychologist I have the third visit to BGF to finish off what's needed to qualify for financial assistance. Was telling the neighbour yesterday what they made me do to qualify; sending me to Centrelink to get them to correct out of date info on my Income Statement. He shook his head in disbelief. I said they were worse than Centrelink.
As luck would have it, turns out that my psychologist appt is this morning, so I cancelled the GP one for that. Aren't I gonna have a lot of shit to talk about today. I'm still stressed beyond what I can handle. Probably why I'm feeling so ill. Spewed up a tablet and had to take another one.
After the psychologist I have the third visit to BGF to finish off what's needed to qualify for financial assistance. Was telling the neighbour yesterday what they made me do to qualify; sending me to Centrelink to get them to correct out of date info on my Income Statement. He shook his head in disbelief. I said they were worse than Centrelink.
Sunday, 27 July 2014
Hockey says there is no budget crisis - NZ
Good grief. What a fuckwit. After spending ages telling Australians there is a "budget emergency" and gambling the whole reputation of the Abbott gov on Australians believing it, he goes across the Tasman and tells New Zealand the complete opposite.
If you want a good laugh, go here and it has the whole interview on video. I can't embed it here is all. It's so funny though, watching smokin sloppy Joe, in HD with his big head filling the screen, saying "The Australian economy is not in trouble". Right near the start too.
http://www.3news.co.nz/Treasurer-hints-at-welfare-changes-for-Kiwis-in-Aus/tabid/417/articleID/354239/Default.aspx
If you want a good laugh, go here and it has the whole interview on video. I can't embed it here is all. It's so funny though, watching smokin sloppy Joe, in HD with his big head filling the screen, saying "The Australian economy is not in trouble". Right near the start too.
http://www.3news.co.nz/Treasurer-hints-at-welfare-changes-for-Kiwis-in-Aus/tabid/417/articleID/354239/Default.aspx
Petition against World Congress of Families conference
I guess it was only a matter of time before someone started one. I mean seriously, WTF is the gov doing having any
involvement with these religious extremists at all? Would they attend a
radical Muslim conference? Why are they going to this bloody freak show?
Here's the program again, followed by the petition to sign:
Here's the program again, followed by the petition to sign:
Adani coal company pulls GetUp video off YouTube
The video (I posted it here somewhere) that GetUp made recently showing up the terrible environmental record of Adani, has been pulled from YouTube. Only days after Adani announced it was seeking investors for Abbott Point - the worlds biggest coal terminal smack in the middle of the Great Barrier Reef if it goes ahead.
GetUp however has a new plan. They want to raise money to directly target investors online, so that someone searching Adani will have the opportunity to see this video.
It looks like someone with direct business relationship with Adani set up a fake website, uploaded our video, and launched a copyright action claiming our video as their own. That means the video has been taken down, just days after Adani announced it was looking for banks to fund their project. more
GetUp however has a new plan. They want to raise money to directly target investors online, so that someone searching Adani will have the opportunity to see this video.
If enough GetUp members chip in now, we can launch a sophisticated online search engine program and integrated ad buy. We'll make sure that every investor, banker or politician who researches Adani sees the video and learns that this company should not be trusted to operate on our Great Barrier Reef. Contribute here if you want
Battle Against Bureaucracy - debriefing
Finally starting to calm down a bit after the fiascoes of last week. David as well. We've both been stretched beyond our limits with this Battle Against Bureaucracy (BAB). Neither of us have been sleeping very well and it has hugely worsened both our mental health states. By Friday I think I went a bit off the air with anxiety and stress (the Australia Post old queen was lucky he got me first thing in the morning instead of at the end of the day) and David's just going from bad to worse. He's seeing his psychologist weekly.
I see mine this week I think. Not a moment too soon. I will be taking the opportunity to relate what all this is doing to both of us. I dunno what he could do about it, if anything. Perhaps maybe he could help with a Housing application, I dunno.
Meanwhile, after all of this cost to our health, all this stress and anxiety about survival, and David is still in fuckin limbo without any income. We accomplished fuck all. A single payment on the electricity bill on Monday after being driven to tears on Friday.
I see mine this week I think. Not a moment too soon. I will be taking the opportunity to relate what all this is doing to both of us. I dunno what he could do about it, if anything. Perhaps maybe he could help with a Housing application, I dunno.
Meanwhile, after all of this cost to our health, all this stress and anxiety about survival, and David is still in fuckin limbo without any income. We accomplished fuck all. A single payment on the electricity bill on Monday after being driven to tears on Friday.
Saturday, 26 July 2014
Dying patient doesn't qualify for DSP, earnings too much, has hissy fit
Why does this sound so familiar? Oh yeah, Centrelink had old info on the families earnings. The heading is pretty over the top in light of that she was denied because of her husband's earnings, which is of course entirely fair. What I don't get though is how her family's financial circumstances changed. Did they change enough for her to qualify? Well it doesn't look like it does it.
There's a point to be made here. The silly lady asserts that a lot of people are on the DSP who don't need it. Oh really? Well darling would you like to come up with some stats on that? She's been so bloody brainwashed by Murdoch that she thinks many of us are bludgers and she isn't. Yet under the new stringent DSP rules, she didn't qualify. Well welcome darling to the new world, where you have to be completely destitute, and have proof of it, before you can get a single cent from the gov that you've spent many years paying tax to. Apparently you have to be just about homeless. And even then it's doubtful.
How does Gina go then getting her billions from the gov? Richest woman in the world gets billions from Abbott. Does she have to jump through the same hoops as us poor people to get these bazillions? Like we have to to get a pittance?
Laughed about the told to use superannuation bit. Sort of like when I was told to use my redundancy payout to live off instead of the full DSP.
These middle class assholes who rail on us poor pensioners on our ass for bludging off the gov, believing the Murdoch lies that getting on the DSP is a piece of piss, thinking they're just gonna waltz into Centrelink and get bazillions because Murdoch reckons it's just being given away, suddenly find themselves denied payments that they thought they'd be eligible to as they thought it was all so easy.
Hey girl, welcome to the world you voters made for us. How's that working out for you darling?
There's a point to be made here. The silly lady asserts that a lot of people are on the DSP who don't need it. Oh really? Well darling would you like to come up with some stats on that? She's been so bloody brainwashed by Murdoch that she thinks many of us are bludgers and she isn't. Yet under the new stringent DSP rules, she didn't qualify. Well welcome darling to the new world, where you have to be completely destitute, and have proof of it, before you can get a single cent from the gov that you've spent many years paying tax to. Apparently you have to be just about homeless. And even then it's doubtful.
How does Gina go then getting her billions from the gov? Richest woman in the world gets billions from Abbott. Does she have to jump through the same hoops as us poor people to get these bazillions? Like we have to to get a pittance?
Laughed about the told to use superannuation bit. Sort of like when I was told to use my redundancy payout to live off instead of the full DSP.
These middle class assholes who rail on us poor pensioners on our ass for bludging off the gov, believing the Murdoch lies that getting on the DSP is a piece of piss, thinking they're just gonna waltz into Centrelink and get bazillions because Murdoch reckons it's just being given away, suddenly find themselves denied payments that they thought they'd be eligible to as they thought it was all so easy.
Hey girl, welcome to the world you voters made for us. How's that working out for you darling?
Department of Human Services general manager Hank Jongen said “as DSP is a means-tested payment, income and assets limits apply”.Oh poor dear. My heart bleeds. What, you can't get this payment that Murdoch told you they were just giving away to anyone? Oh poor darling, wake up!
“In addition to meeting the medical, age and residency criteria, a couple’s combined income must be less than $2825.20 per fortnight in order to be eligible for the payment,” Mr Jongen said.
Ms Clark believed she met the criteria for the DSP because her family’s financial circumstances had changed since the last financial year.
“I was angry, I just cried, I wanted to leave my superannuation for Enjay,” she said. more
Births Deaths and Marriages complaint - David
I've sent off another complaint via email forms on behalf of David, this one to Births Deaths and Marriages. I'm disgusted with their performance, being told something different every time David rings them, and the goods are not being produced; namely David's bloody birth certificate. What a fucked up week this has been.
Hi, I'm emailing this in sheer desperation. I have paid a premium $75 to have an urgent birth cert sent out to me. We desperately need money from Centrelink to avoid homelessness and pay the rent, and ID for it. We ordered it online on the 29th June. It is now a full month later and we still don't have it. We have had Centrelink forms ready to go for two weeks now but can't do anything without the birth certificate. It's absolutely essential that we get this as soon as possible.
The receipt reference number is ____________.
Reference number _________.
It's so late now and we have so little money, it's boiling down to either we get this birth certificate or face homelessness.
Can you please give this email your full attention.
Thank You,
David
Complaint to Australia Post - me
After yesterdays bullshit episode at Australia Post, I have sent this online complaint to them through their complaints service. They say on their site that the compliants will be resolved withing 10 working days (gee that sounds familiar doesn't it). Here is what I sent
Hi,
I have a complaint about the treatment I received yesterday at Sydney's Kingsford Post Office.
My partner and I are currently in financial crisis, waiting for a birth certificate to come by registered mail (coded from births deaths and marriages as _____) for Centrelink ID. I dunno what is happening here, but it's now been a full month with the birth certificate and it still hasn't arrived despite being ordered urgently and supposed to be done in ten days. We have all the Centrelink forms ready to go now for two weeks. The last thing we need is the cert for ID before we can apply for anything. My partner has been on the phone constantly to them, most of the time unable to get through and they will ring back after he leaves a message. We are absolutely desperate for money right now and are facing possible homelessness. The rent is currently being paid with the assistance of the credit card. So this cert being two weeks late is having a huge impact on us.
Yesterday my partner manned the phone at home to do the trying to get through to Births Deaths and Marriages thing, and I offered to go check at the Post Office to see if it was maybe there. Upon arriving at the Post Office I talked to an older guy behind the counter who behaved atrociously, causing me to leave after the conversation close to tears at his attitude and attack on me. The conversation at the counter went something like this:
Him: Did you ring Births Deaths and Marriages?
Me: Yes. We couldn't get through.
Him: I'm sure if you rung now you could get through.
Me: no, we've been ringing.
Him: I'm sure if I rang right now I'd get through. People have to help themselves.
Me: Excuse me, don't patronise me.
He goes out the back for a bit and comes back saying the letter's not there.
Me: OK. Well there's another question I'd like to ask. Births Deaths and Marriages said they sent a letter out two weeks ago, why did you send it back?
Him: We don't know if the address was wrong.
Me: Yes we do because we've been on the phone to Births Deaths and Marriages after the letter was sent back, double checking the address, which was all correct.
Him: You need to get the tracing number off the original letter for us to help you.
Me: How can I do that? You sent it back.
Him: I'll tell you what to do (and gets out bit of paper)
Me: Yes! Tell me what to do! (sarcastically)
Him: (starts writing on the paper whilst saying) Ring Births Deaths and Marriages.
Me: (looking directly into his eyes) What do you think I've been doing?
Him: (stares directly back into my eyes) I'm sorry I can't help you. Next.
I did not appreciate having this guy accuse me of not helping myself and using deflecting strategies to palm me off. All I was doing was trying to desperately find where on earth this birth cert was after banging our heads against a brick wall for two weeks whilst we starve and pay rent on the credit card. We are absolutely desperate now to get this cert and go to Centrelink simply to survive and not get kicked out of the house. It was the height of insult to accuse me in such a situation of not "helping myself", even more so that he was a public employee who was supposed to be there to help me.
I don't mind saying that both my partner and I are HIV positive, myself unable to work due to multiple complications. We both suffer anxiety and depression. I am also suffering PTSD and struggling with suicidal thoughts. Such treatment of me by a public servant is beyond comprehension, even if I wasn't vulnerable.
I trust that this complaint will be listened to and the Birth Certificate finally found.
Thank You,.
"Signs of HIV infection" study - participants wanted
Positive Life here in Sydney is doing a study asking people about signs of HIV infection that they had prior to being diagnosed, and are seeking people to interview about it.
Positive Life is conducting consultations with people with HIV to better understand and inform communities at risk of HIV about symptoms and signs of early and late stage HIV infection. From 2009 to 2013, a little over 10% or about 30 people each year in NSW were diagnosed with late stage HIV or AIDS. The highest number of late diagnoses is among gay and other homosexually active men, including homosexually active men who inject drugs. Gay men in their 40s and 50s are over-represented in late diagnosis data.
If you would like to help us with this important work, please contact Lance Feeney for a confidential chat. Contact Lance here.
Friday, 25 July 2014
Abbott - ABC guilty of left bias, cites The Guardian
Abbott accuses the ABC of left bias, ha ha ha ha ha......
A day in the life - battling with bureaucracy
Today was a combined effort, with some success but much angst and frustration. David manned the home phone to set about finding out again WTF was going on with the NSW birth certificate. First effort wasn't good, simply a message saying the phones were suffering "high volume" and to leave your phone number to ring back sometime later today.
I offered to go to the Post Office and see if it was there, and went before the trip to BGF. It didn't go well. I get there soon after 9am and the shop is empty except for two people behind the counter chatting and smiling. I go in and wait for the conversation to end, which it didn't so I just walked up to the old bloke behind the counter. I briefly explain I'm checking to see if a registered letter is there from Births Deaths and Marriages for David. David had given me his ID with a signed note that it was OK for me to pick it up if it was there.
The bloke behind the counter was entirely belligerent, condescending, and patronising. I could tell he was an old bitter queen even before he opened his mouth. It went something like this:
Him: Did you ring Births Deaths and Marriages?
Me: Yes. We couldn't get through.
Him: I'm sure if you rung now you could get through.
Me: no, we've been ringing.
Him: I'm sure if I rang right now I'd get through. People have to help themselves.
Me: Excuse me, don't patronise me.
He goes out the back for a bit and comes back saying the letter's not there.
Me: OK. Well there's another question I'd like to ask. Births Deaths and Marriages said they sent a letter out two weeks ago, why did you send it back?
Him: We don't know if the address was wrong.
Me: Yes we do because we've been on the phone to Births Deaths and Marriages after the letter was sent back, double checking the address, which was all correct.
Him: You need to get the tracing number off the original letter for us to help you.
Me: How can I do that? You sent it back.
Him: I'll tell you what to do (and gets out bit of paper)
Me: Yes! Tell me what to do! (sarcastically)
Him: (starts writing on the paper whilst saying) Ring Births Deaths and Marriages.
Me: (looking directly into his eyes) What do you think I've been doing?
Him: (stares directly back into my eyes.... fuckin old queen....) I'm sorry I can't help you. Next.
Leaving me there at the counter while he looked to the next person. I contemplated just for a few seconds. I felt like jumping the counter and clobbering the bitch, but given my unhealthy police record I decided to take a breath and leave. Upon turning around there was now a large line forming, all full of shocked customers at what had just happened. I went home to collect myself before the trip to BGF, telling David about it. He even questioned if the fuckin Post Office bitch bothered even looking out the back for the letter.
So after that David remains home still trying to get through to Births Deaths and Marriages while I go to BGF, for the second time, to get help with the $570 electricity bill. I had printed out over 20 pages of proof that I was on my ass poor for every conceivable question that might be asked. I get there and go into a room to present the evidence for my deeming to be poor by BGF. It didn't go well at all.
Despite having all the possible evidence needed right there on the table, there was the (what I thought was a) minor concern over the outdated two lines on the Centrelink Statement of Income, 3 years old, saying that I still had the $60,000 of the redundancy that they made me live off and the money pulled out of my super to pay debts - a long convoluted struggle over 9 months with Canberra. Just two lines of three year old outdated shit from Centrelink was enough for BGF to say they couldn't do anything until this Centrelink Statement of Income was saying exactly the right stuff. Even though all the proof was there that it wasn't. Two lines on page two. They had even included deemed interest income as part of it. It was another brick wall.
I burst into tears. The BGF person and I were in a small room of our own. Through many tears I tried to give some idea of the financial trauma both David and I were undergoing even as we spoke. In exasperation, crying like mad, "What do you have to do to prove you're poor? It's one brick wall after another, while we both starve." I told about the Australia Post episode earlier and she couldn't believe it. Whatever the present paperwork said from Centrelink, it was obvious that we were in trouble. The ironic thing is that David tried to get help off them earlier in the year and ended up being faced with similar impossible hoops to jump through and just gave up, getting nothing, despite being completely eligible.
WTF is going on with BGF? It's supposed to be there to help us when we're fucked, like David and I are now. Yet the demands are more than even Centrelink asks. You don't need two months of bank statement print outs for Centrelink, and Centrelink will readily accept proof when it's presented to them. This wasn't the case today with BGF. Two outdated lines on page two of a Centrelink document took precedence over my need, suffering extreme financial hardship they were unable to help me until this form was fixed. Black and white thinking indeed. Something the gay community doesn't appreciate.
Anyway, upshot of the BGF meeting, was me to see them Monday with the updated Centrelink form and then they'll be able to give me nearly half the money for the bill. It was obvious I was really upset and the plan now is to pay me the money straight away on Monday after I get there with the new Centrelink form. I agreed and will go there again for the third time over this on Monday. So I had to go to Centrelink to get this form updated for Monday. Left BGF feeling so upset.
Came home to report to David on the way to Centrelink. Left soon after and entered the Centrelink line. Actually it was hardly anyone, but that means nothing. The staff were still doing staggered lunch breaks, probably understaffed at that. I get seen by the really efficient looking person whilst still in the line, asking me what I'm here for. I have to see somebody at the desks behind. I sit and wait for about an hour to get seen.
It was just so easy once I was at a desk with a bloody human being. I quickly explained the situation and needed the Centrelink Income Statement updated. I simply gave the lady the first pages of two of the mega print outs that I'd prepared for BGF, those mega print outs not considered as enough proof at BGF in themselves. Well it was way too much proof for Centrelink. In fact the lady simply viewed the first pages of each of the mega print outs and didn't even want to photocopy them.
She printed out the Centrelink Income Statement form, all up to date. Still a little bit out over an old St George account that they reckon I have $1,000 in. WTF? I closed that account years ago. How do I get proof there's nothing in there when I don't even have an account with them anymore? It's not much though and the amount won't have any impact on anything. So I'd gotten the magic Centrelink papers. Perhaps this will open up a whole new BGF world?
Left Centrelink feeling emotionally and mentally exhausted and defeated. This was one of the most horrible days I've ever had trying to get things done with bureaucracy. I'm not capable of dealing with this both mentally and emotionally. I feel like they're stretching me to the limit, see if I break, then they'll know I'm for real. That's just how I feel after today.
I feel for those too that can't jump these hoops. How much poverty exists in Australia simply because there's too many demands put on anyone who gets welfare? The restrictions are too great. People just give up and wear poverty because they can't meet the criteria. I mean FFS, two out of date lines on a Centrelink form nearly saw me denied any financial help from an HIV organisation set up specifically to help HIV people in distress.
I reached a very low point when I burst into tears at BGF today. Felt like there was all this supposed help out there that even me in my dire situation couldn't access, because of bureaucratic forms. I'd just had enough. The very people that are supposed to be there to help me weren't, and were in fact the one's that drove me to tears of hopelessness.
BTW, David's birth certificate still didn't arrive today. I dunno even WTF is going on with that today, other than David finally got through and found out this: On ringing Births Deaths and Marriages, you have to go through a new Barry O'fuckin Farrell main thing that deals with the whole entire NSW gov. Looks efficient I guess until you have to deal with the bloody crap.
So when David rings through to the BDM's line, it actually goes to this main gov line and the dept filtered down through that. In effect, all David's phone calls today accomplished nothing more than the main gov dept saying it hadn't heard anything from the other gov dept yet; namely Births Deaths and marriages.
I offered to go to the Post Office and see if it was there, and went before the trip to BGF. It didn't go well. I get there soon after 9am and the shop is empty except for two people behind the counter chatting and smiling. I go in and wait for the conversation to end, which it didn't so I just walked up to the old bloke behind the counter. I briefly explain I'm checking to see if a registered letter is there from Births Deaths and Marriages for David. David had given me his ID with a signed note that it was OK for me to pick it up if it was there.
The bloke behind the counter was entirely belligerent, condescending, and patronising. I could tell he was an old bitter queen even before he opened his mouth. It went something like this:
Him: Did you ring Births Deaths and Marriages?
Me: Yes. We couldn't get through.
Him: I'm sure if you rung now you could get through.
Me: no, we've been ringing.
Him: I'm sure if I rang right now I'd get through. People have to help themselves.
Me: Excuse me, don't patronise me.
He goes out the back for a bit and comes back saying the letter's not there.
Me: OK. Well there's another question I'd like to ask. Births Deaths and Marriages said they sent a letter out two weeks ago, why did you send it back?
Him: We don't know if the address was wrong.
Me: Yes we do because we've been on the phone to Births Deaths and Marriages after the letter was sent back, double checking the address, which was all correct.
Him: You need to get the tracing number off the original letter for us to help you.
Me: How can I do that? You sent it back.
Him: I'll tell you what to do (and gets out bit of paper)
Me: Yes! Tell me what to do! (sarcastically)
Him: (starts writing on the paper whilst saying) Ring Births Deaths and Marriages.
Me: (looking directly into his eyes) What do you think I've been doing?
Him: (stares directly back into my eyes.... fuckin old queen....) I'm sorry I can't help you. Next.
Leaving me there at the counter while he looked to the next person. I contemplated just for a few seconds. I felt like jumping the counter and clobbering the bitch, but given my unhealthy police record I decided to take a breath and leave. Upon turning around there was now a large line forming, all full of shocked customers at what had just happened. I went home to collect myself before the trip to BGF, telling David about it. He even questioned if the fuckin Post Office bitch bothered even looking out the back for the letter.
So after that David remains home still trying to get through to Births Deaths and Marriages while I go to BGF, for the second time, to get help with the $570 electricity bill. I had printed out over 20 pages of proof that I was on my ass poor for every conceivable question that might be asked. I get there and go into a room to present the evidence for my deeming to be poor by BGF. It didn't go well at all.
Despite having all the possible evidence needed right there on the table, there was the (what I thought was a) minor concern over the outdated two lines on the Centrelink Statement of Income, 3 years old, saying that I still had the $60,000 of the redundancy that they made me live off and the money pulled out of my super to pay debts - a long convoluted struggle over 9 months with Canberra. Just two lines of three year old outdated shit from Centrelink was enough for BGF to say they couldn't do anything until this Centrelink Statement of Income was saying exactly the right stuff. Even though all the proof was there that it wasn't. Two lines on page two. They had even included deemed interest income as part of it. It was another brick wall.
I burst into tears. The BGF person and I were in a small room of our own. Through many tears I tried to give some idea of the financial trauma both David and I were undergoing even as we spoke. In exasperation, crying like mad, "What do you have to do to prove you're poor? It's one brick wall after another, while we both starve." I told about the Australia Post episode earlier and she couldn't believe it. Whatever the present paperwork said from Centrelink, it was obvious that we were in trouble. The ironic thing is that David tried to get help off them earlier in the year and ended up being faced with similar impossible hoops to jump through and just gave up, getting nothing, despite being completely eligible.
WTF is going on with BGF? It's supposed to be there to help us when we're fucked, like David and I are now. Yet the demands are more than even Centrelink asks. You don't need two months of bank statement print outs for Centrelink, and Centrelink will readily accept proof when it's presented to them. This wasn't the case today with BGF. Two outdated lines on page two of a Centrelink document took precedence over my need, suffering extreme financial hardship they were unable to help me until this form was fixed. Black and white thinking indeed. Something the gay community doesn't appreciate.
Anyway, upshot of the BGF meeting, was me to see them Monday with the updated Centrelink form and then they'll be able to give me nearly half the money for the bill. It was obvious I was really upset and the plan now is to pay me the money straight away on Monday after I get there with the new Centrelink form. I agreed and will go there again for the third time over this on Monday. So I had to go to Centrelink to get this form updated for Monday. Left BGF feeling so upset.
Came home to report to David on the way to Centrelink. Left soon after and entered the Centrelink line. Actually it was hardly anyone, but that means nothing. The staff were still doing staggered lunch breaks, probably understaffed at that. I get seen by the really efficient looking person whilst still in the line, asking me what I'm here for. I have to see somebody at the desks behind. I sit and wait for about an hour to get seen.
It was just so easy once I was at a desk with a bloody human being. I quickly explained the situation and needed the Centrelink Income Statement updated. I simply gave the lady the first pages of two of the mega print outs that I'd prepared for BGF, those mega print outs not considered as enough proof at BGF in themselves. Well it was way too much proof for Centrelink. In fact the lady simply viewed the first pages of each of the mega print outs and didn't even want to photocopy them.
She printed out the Centrelink Income Statement form, all up to date. Still a little bit out over an old St George account that they reckon I have $1,000 in. WTF? I closed that account years ago. How do I get proof there's nothing in there when I don't even have an account with them anymore? It's not much though and the amount won't have any impact on anything. So I'd gotten the magic Centrelink papers. Perhaps this will open up a whole new BGF world?
Left Centrelink feeling emotionally and mentally exhausted and defeated. This was one of the most horrible days I've ever had trying to get things done with bureaucracy. I'm not capable of dealing with this both mentally and emotionally. I feel like they're stretching me to the limit, see if I break, then they'll know I'm for real. That's just how I feel after today.
I feel for those too that can't jump these hoops. How much poverty exists in Australia simply because there's too many demands put on anyone who gets welfare? The restrictions are too great. People just give up and wear poverty because they can't meet the criteria. I mean FFS, two out of date lines on a Centrelink form nearly saw me denied any financial help from an HIV organisation set up specifically to help HIV people in distress.
I reached a very low point when I burst into tears at BGF today. Felt like there was all this supposed help out there that even me in my dire situation couldn't access, because of bureaucratic forms. I'd just had enough. The very people that are supposed to be there to help me weren't, and were in fact the one's that drove me to tears of hopelessness.
BTW, David's birth certificate still didn't arrive today. I dunno even WTF is going on with that today, other than David finally got through and found out this: On ringing Births Deaths and Marriages, you have to go through a new Barry O'fuckin Farrell main thing that deals with the whole entire NSW gov. Looks efficient I guess until you have to deal with the bloody crap.
So when David rings through to the BDM's line, it actually goes to this main gov line and the dept filtered down through that. In effect, all David's phone calls today accomplished nothing more than the main gov dept saying it hadn't heard anything from the other gov dept yet; namely Births Deaths and marriages.
Guess what didn't arrive yesterday
Unbelievable. The birth cert still has not arrived yesterday even though it was promised to be delivered by super duper courier thing. There was someone at home at all times and there was no knock, or even the note that's normally left in the letter box. It is now the 20th day in what was supposed to be a 10 day turnaround.
David has tried ringing births deaths and marriages again today but the phones are over loaded and he can't get through.
I spent a rather disturbed night. This shits not doing my anxiety any good at all.
Am going out to BGF today. Perhaps I'll check in at the Post Office to see if it's there :s
David has tried ringing births deaths and marriages again today but the phones are over loaded and he can't get through.
I spent a rather disturbed night. This shits not doing my anxiety any good at all.
Am going out to BGF today. Perhaps I'll check in at the Post Office to see if it's there :s
Thursday, 24 July 2014
Jailed kids sick on Christmas Island - FFS Australia listen!
Not in my name....
It actually hurts me emotionally that my gov is doing this. This is not who we are. This is not Aussies, Kiwis. How in the fuck did we end up here in this obscenity?
It actually hurts me emotionally that my gov is doing this. This is not who we are. This is not Aussies, Kiwis. How in the fuck did we end up here in this obscenity?
Meet new Lieberal senator - far out wacho
Fuck me...... At least he can't do any damage being part of the Lieberal voting Coalition block in the senate. There's been talk for years about the wacko NSW and QLD Lieberals, long before they took power in both states. They were both known back then in opposition as being a rable mainly made up of far out wacko conservative christians, the QLD ones being the worst of the two. You know, those lovely ones who hate abortion and declare gays are sicko's.
So anyway both states got these state gov's full of far out wacko religious conservatives; bitter old white men. So far the NSW state gov has kept enough of a lid on these nuts to keep them in check. The same cannot be said of the QLD Newman fiasco.
New Lieberal coalition senator James McGrath has delivered in his first speech the most vial lies of the US Tea Party, daring to utter such filth on the floor of our very own Australian parliament. I almost feel dirty watching this, knowing that our Australian federal parliament has sunk this low.
So anyway both states got these state gov's full of far out wacko religious conservatives; bitter old white men. So far the NSW state gov has kept enough of a lid on these nuts to keep them in check. The same cannot be said of the QLD Newman fiasco.
New Lieberal coalition senator James McGrath has delivered in his first speech the most vial lies of the US Tea Party, daring to utter such filth on the floor of our very own Australian parliament. I almost feel dirty watching this, knowing that our Australian federal parliament has sunk this low.
Gosford Anglican Church - Father Bob video
Whoever is responsible for this is right in step with Australians. Unlike our fucked up gov. How ironic that religious opinion is now in Australia far to the left of Abbott's conservatism. This after the Abbott repeal of the carbon tax:
Anyway, the person responsible is Father Bob, and he's done a video. It's interesting for me. I mean I don't agree with any religion, but it's interesting that this version of Christianity is certainly far far more politically left than anything the main stream politicians are about when they try to cow tow to the Christian vote. FFS, why the hell are our pollies mating up with the likes of the Australian Christian Lobby? If nothing else this video shows there's a lot better Christians out there that silly ACL.
Anyway, the person responsible is Father Bob, and he's done a video. It's interesting for me. I mean I don't agree with any religion, but it's interesting that this version of Christianity is certainly far far more politically left than anything the main stream politicians are about when they try to cow tow to the Christian vote. FFS, why the hell are our pollies mating up with the likes of the Australian Christian Lobby? If nothing else this video shows there's a lot better Christians out there that silly ACL.
BGF rage
I'd probably be fine at the moment with a bit more fucking around from some gov dept to jump through more hoops, but not from a private one set up specifically to help people with HIV. They've helped me a bloody lot over the years, but on this occasion they fucked up. I'm just too stressed out with all this shit at the moment to have some major hissy fit about it, other than this present blog rave I suppose. After all the bullshit of late trying to jump through hoops that you can't because some gov dept has fucked up, then this happened today at the Bobby Goldsmith Foundation. Which BTW is a private charity even though it recieves gov funding.
The other day when I rang the bloke on the phone about the electricity bill and getting help for it, just said to print out the latest Centrelink income statement and the latest bank account info. OK, that was fine. So I printed out the Centrelink income statement after spending about ten minutes trying to log into Centrelink to do it (long story, forgot my password, answering secret questions, bla..... I mean Centrelink isn't a fascinating site that I regularly log on to). There was a page two of it with info about what Centrelink thought was my income and assets which was two years out of date. I just chucked it as irrelevant. The bank statement I just printed out the last page of transactions with the balance. I expect from what I've been told on the phone that all the paperwork is in order.
So I go in there today with the requested paperwork. First horror for them is that I don't have page two of the Centrelink income statement! Oh the humanity! Next gasp is that I only have the last page of my bank account and they need two months worth of transactions. WTF? Even Centrelink is fine with a bank machine statement as proof of bank account balances. Now these blokes want an entire two months of transaction history? Oh FFS!
So I'm standing there at the counter feeling very irate. Like it's a hassle but not a problem to produce all this shit from the PC, but why the fuck did they not tell me I needed all of that? Then let me turn up in person only to say what I had wasn't enough? Told the guy behind the counter (as the $guru came out and said hello to me) that this "was like bloody Centrelink! WTF do you have to do to prove you're poor?"
The $guru laughed, probably thought "he hasn't changed", and the counter guy looked frustrated at it all. Who's making up some of these bloody rules then? I have to go in tomorrow for an appt for "intake" even though I've been a client for years.
So I proceeded home via the chemist for 3 prescriptions, and went home to make some kind of sarcastic statement to produce for them tomorrow as proof of both my and David's poverty. A bit of a hissy fit at the never ending bullshit they come out with. The never ending hoops. Luckily the printer had lots of ink.
I started with the Centrelink Income Statement as a warm up, as it was only two pages and the PDF was still on David's desktop.
I then proceeded to the next very important thing they asked for; the last two months of transactions on my account. As I've stopped using cash and go around with this magic beeping Paypass card that magically takes the exact money out of my account even for transactions less than $10, there are rather a lot of transactions in the last two months. Eight pages to be exact. Very satisfying.
I then thought BGF might have some drama about Centrelink's two year old assertion of my wealth, that included my work redundancy of $38,000 (which Centrelink made me live off for a year) and another $17,000 or so that was sitting in the account as the final payment on a debt, taken out of my superannuation after a 9 month bullshit Canberra gov episode to do it. I noticed on the Centrelink income statement that they had me down as having about $60,000 in the bank and getting interest income on it. WTF? After making me live off it? Never the less, it was a major opportunity.
I then printed out the entire history of the ING account I put all that money into. Yes, every single transaction, from the first deposit to the current $1 in it. That one wasn't too printer friendly and I ended up having to nurse it through, but it came out at ten pages. Excellent!
Then I considered that they might have some drama about David's earnings, so I printed out his transactions back to May. Only two pages as he's had no money in there for months now. Not a lot of pages but a welcome addition.
So what's that then? A grand total of 22 fuckin pages of proof. Lovely :)
The other day when I rang the bloke on the phone about the electricity bill and getting help for it, just said to print out the latest Centrelink income statement and the latest bank account info. OK, that was fine. So I printed out the Centrelink income statement after spending about ten minutes trying to log into Centrelink to do it (long story, forgot my password, answering secret questions, bla..... I mean Centrelink isn't a fascinating site that I regularly log on to). There was a page two of it with info about what Centrelink thought was my income and assets which was two years out of date. I just chucked it as irrelevant. The bank statement I just printed out the last page of transactions with the balance. I expect from what I've been told on the phone that all the paperwork is in order.
So I go in there today with the requested paperwork. First horror for them is that I don't have page two of the Centrelink income statement! Oh the humanity! Next gasp is that I only have the last page of my bank account and they need two months worth of transactions. WTF? Even Centrelink is fine with a bank machine statement as proof of bank account balances. Now these blokes want an entire two months of transaction history? Oh FFS!
So I'm standing there at the counter feeling very irate. Like it's a hassle but not a problem to produce all this shit from the PC, but why the fuck did they not tell me I needed all of that? Then let me turn up in person only to say what I had wasn't enough? Told the guy behind the counter (as the $guru came out and said hello to me) that this "was like bloody Centrelink! WTF do you have to do to prove you're poor?"
The $guru laughed, probably thought "he hasn't changed", and the counter guy looked frustrated at it all. Who's making up some of these bloody rules then? I have to go in tomorrow for an appt for "intake" even though I've been a client for years.
So I proceeded home via the chemist for 3 prescriptions, and went home to make some kind of sarcastic statement to produce for them tomorrow as proof of both my and David's poverty. A bit of a hissy fit at the never ending bullshit they come out with. The never ending hoops. Luckily the printer had lots of ink.
I started with the Centrelink Income Statement as a warm up, as it was only two pages and the PDF was still on David's desktop.
I then proceeded to the next very important thing they asked for; the last two months of transactions on my account. As I've stopped using cash and go around with this magic beeping Paypass card that magically takes the exact money out of my account even for transactions less than $10, there are rather a lot of transactions in the last two months. Eight pages to be exact. Very satisfying.
I then thought BGF might have some drama about Centrelink's two year old assertion of my wealth, that included my work redundancy of $38,000 (which Centrelink made me live off for a year) and another $17,000 or so that was sitting in the account as the final payment on a debt, taken out of my superannuation after a 9 month bullshit Canberra gov episode to do it. I noticed on the Centrelink income statement that they had me down as having about $60,000 in the bank and getting interest income on it. WTF? After making me live off it? Never the less, it was a major opportunity.
I then printed out the entire history of the ING account I put all that money into. Yes, every single transaction, from the first deposit to the current $1 in it. That one wasn't too printer friendly and I ended up having to nurse it through, but it came out at ten pages. Excellent!
Then I considered that they might have some drama about David's earnings, so I printed out his transactions back to May. Only two pages as he's had no money in there for months now. Not a lot of pages but a welcome addition.
So what's that then? A grand total of 22 fuckin pages of proof. Lovely :)
Abbott's response to plea to save Pararoos
Meet 12 year old Claire Falls.
She wrote to PM Abbott to ask/plea with him to refund the Pararoos; the disabled soccer playing team ranked tenth in the world, who have had their entire funding cut to nothing by the gov, and therefore have no future unless it's restored. A measly bloody $175,000 is all they need, that's nothing in a federal budget like Australia's.
This was Abbott's response, a condescending and offensive form letter:
link
She wrote to PM Abbott to ask/plea with him to refund the Pararoos; the disabled soccer playing team ranked tenth in the world, who have had their entire funding cut to nothing by the gov, and therefore have no future unless it's restored. A measly bloody $175,000 is all they need, that's nothing in a federal budget like Australia's.
This was Abbott's response, a condescending and offensive form letter:
"Christians persecuted for their faith" - US
Yes folks, those crazy christians are at it again. They appear to be claiming now that christian persecution happens in the US in regards to gays wanting rights. All done in this incredibly tacky sort of coloured 1950's photos of middle aged white women happily talking on the phone to the media about their prayer vigils outside local churches (I assume to pray for the christians inside being persecuted?). Oh it's just dreadfully done, no artistic value whatsoever, boring, old fashioned and mind numbingly dull. But then again what more can you expect from religion?
Tax office to the rescue
He's got so little work last year from the assholes at his work, that David fell under the tax free threshold and all the tax he paid for the year he just got back yesterday. Talk about fuckin timing.
So there you go, we don't have to use the credit card for the rent this week :) Abject poverty has been fended off for the time being.
Actually it is starting to look pretty serious. We'll be in danger of losing the house if things don't start improving soon. Paying the rent and all the bills on the credit card doesn't bode well. Hmmmm. Maybe I should look into applying to Housing again.
Hey Joe! How about you come and give us a hand here? We need someone to do some heavy lifting! Get off your fat smokin ass and do something. Come and see how us pensioners really live....
Um, the infamous birth certificate we are told will arrive today by super duper delivery. We shall see.
So there you go, we don't have to use the credit card for the rent this week :) Abject poverty has been fended off for the time being.
Actually it is starting to look pretty serious. We'll be in danger of losing the house if things don't start improving soon. Paying the rent and all the bills on the credit card doesn't bode well. Hmmmm. Maybe I should look into applying to Housing again.
Hey Joe! How about you come and give us a hand here? We need someone to do some heavy lifting! Get off your fat smokin ass and do something. Come and see how us pensioners really live....
Um, the infamous birth certificate we are told will arrive today by super duper delivery. We shall see.
Wednesday, 23 July 2014
The blog getting even more international?
I dunno. I only bother to look at the general stats that come with the blog. It only shows the top ten countries and number of views (I have that set at per week). So various places drop in and out of that top ten if they're lower down on the list. This today then is the first time I've seen both China and India both on the top ten list at the same time. Oh my, that does look rather international doesn't it, these countries the top ten.
HIV protesters interupt Bill Clinton - AIDS conference Melbourne
A group of HIV protesters have made their point during Bill Clinton's speech to the international AIDS conference in Melbourne. The issue they were on about is a domestic US one?; namely to use a financial transaction tax to fund the fight against HIV. They also were on about the TPP as well, which certainly is About Australia.
The HIV funding here seems pretty good without some tax like that. Which besides the banks here already charge us all through the nose with transaction fees, so I can't see such a proposition gaining the slightest bit of traction here in Australia. Although of course we're right there with them in protesting against the TPP :)
link
The HIV funding here seems pretty good without some tax like that. Which besides the banks here already charge us all through the nose with transaction fees, so I can't see such a proposition gaining the slightest bit of traction here in Australia. Although of course we're right there with them in protesting against the TPP :)
Is gov paying online trolls?
The plot thickens..... People getting paid to tweet Lieberal propaganda? Is this where the taxpayers money is going to fund Abbott's bullshit artists?
Births, Deaths, Marriages, Australia Post rage
Am usually pretty patient with gov dept's. Generally they're OK, but there are times when they really fuck up. Like this one, with bloody NSW Births. Deaths and Marriages. We are still waiting for David's birth cert, ordered urgently, and supposed to be in about 10 working days. David is having to ring them again today (after ringing last Friday) asking them where the fuck this bloody birth cert is. It's the final piece in the Centrelink form puzzle for him to finally apply for about a $300 a week Sickness Allowance.
Readers of this blog would know we've ended up in a dire financial position after a discrimination thing at David's work, where being "permanent casual" they put him to the bottom of the list and just stopped ringing him. With no explanation or warning. After about a month of no work and a mounting credit card balance, we started realising what was going on, which I must say had a very bad effect on David's mental health after working there for years. At financial breaking point his GP gave him a Centrelink doctors cert as being unable to work due to severe depression, and so he could apply for the Sickness Allowance.
So we've gone through and done all the forms, printed out all the proof of our situation, and have been ready to go down to Centrelink armed with them for a week now. But we can't as we're still waiting on this bloody urgent birth cert for his proof of ID. The thing is nearly two weeks late now. WTF are they doing in that bloody dept? David's not good dealing with these people. He feels like he's bothering them if he rings more than once :s He doesn't seem to know that these people can fuck up royally sometimes and to get anything done on such occasion you have to push them.
So I had a bit of a dummy spit, just sort of to all gov's depts that I've battle with over time. David has an appt with the psychologist today but we can't afford a full priced bus fair as David hasn't got the concession card yet from applying for Sickness Allowance :s So I let him use mine. He misplaced it somewhere in the house and so we're both fart assing around the place looking for my pension card, so he can get on the bus with a concession ticket. At this point I explode a bit.
Something like, oh FFS this is fuckin ridiculous! Fucks sake we can't even go out together because we're fucking around with one pension card because bloody birth deaths and marriages hasn't got their fucking act together! David looks at me a bit stunned. I say I'm not yelling at him just at the NSW gov.
It's more than that too. He had to get his HIV meds yesterday still without a health care card to get them at concession rates. So we had to pay $70 or so on the credit card again, or he'd have no pills. If the bloody birth cert was sorted he'd have the health care card by now and the meds would've cost $12. Now he's going to have to fuck around getting refunds later on when the card is backdated. But that doesn't help us now does it.
Also as this hasn't been sorted out for another week, it's starting to look like we'll have to use the credit card towards the rent again. All because of this stupid, fucked up, Barry fucking O'Farrell failure, bloody NSW Births Deaths and Marriages! Fuck!
Update:
*sheesh* So David gets through to them after untold time on hold. They have another story this time - last time on Friday they said it was being sent out that day. Today they said it was sent out two weeks ago, and after some time they found that Australia Post had sent it back reckoning there was no one here to sign for it. That's bullshit, there's always been someone here, and there was nothing in the letterbox saying anyone had been and to pick it up at the Post Office.
So anyway I smell a rat in that story. So they're going to send it again by super duper express post guaranteed to arrive by tomorrow. So I dunno who to blame now. I'll blame both of them I guess. Births deaths and marriages didn't seem to have much of an idea WTF was going on, and we've had ridiculous things happen with the local Australia Post office in the past; like parcels not being delivered because after 6 years living here they suddenly didn't know where I lived.
Hopefully after all this bullshit Centrelink will backpay, and hopefully we'll have a smooth trip when we finally get there. And hopefully against all odds, David might even have some money in his account by the end of the week.
Readers of this blog would know we've ended up in a dire financial position after a discrimination thing at David's work, where being "permanent casual" they put him to the bottom of the list and just stopped ringing him. With no explanation or warning. After about a month of no work and a mounting credit card balance, we started realising what was going on, which I must say had a very bad effect on David's mental health after working there for years. At financial breaking point his GP gave him a Centrelink doctors cert as being unable to work due to severe depression, and so he could apply for the Sickness Allowance.
So we've gone through and done all the forms, printed out all the proof of our situation, and have been ready to go down to Centrelink armed with them for a week now. But we can't as we're still waiting on this bloody urgent birth cert for his proof of ID. The thing is nearly two weeks late now. WTF are they doing in that bloody dept? David's not good dealing with these people. He feels like he's bothering them if he rings more than once :s He doesn't seem to know that these people can fuck up royally sometimes and to get anything done on such occasion you have to push them.
So I had a bit of a dummy spit, just sort of to all gov's depts that I've battle with over time. David has an appt with the psychologist today but we can't afford a full priced bus fair as David hasn't got the concession card yet from applying for Sickness Allowance :s So I let him use mine. He misplaced it somewhere in the house and so we're both fart assing around the place looking for my pension card, so he can get on the bus with a concession ticket. At this point I explode a bit.
Something like, oh FFS this is fuckin ridiculous! Fucks sake we can't even go out together because we're fucking around with one pension card because bloody birth deaths and marriages hasn't got their fucking act together! David looks at me a bit stunned. I say I'm not yelling at him just at the NSW gov.
It's more than that too. He had to get his HIV meds yesterday still without a health care card to get them at concession rates. So we had to pay $70 or so on the credit card again, or he'd have no pills. If the bloody birth cert was sorted he'd have the health care card by now and the meds would've cost $12. Now he's going to have to fuck around getting refunds later on when the card is backdated. But that doesn't help us now does it.
Also as this hasn't been sorted out for another week, it's starting to look like we'll have to use the credit card towards the rent again. All because of this stupid, fucked up, Barry fucking O'Farrell failure, bloody NSW Births Deaths and Marriages! Fuck!
Update:
*sheesh* So David gets through to them after untold time on hold. They have another story this time - last time on Friday they said it was being sent out that day. Today they said it was sent out two weeks ago, and after some time they found that Australia Post had sent it back reckoning there was no one here to sign for it. That's bullshit, there's always been someone here, and there was nothing in the letterbox saying anyone had been and to pick it up at the Post Office.
So anyway I smell a rat in that story. So they're going to send it again by super duper express post guaranteed to arrive by tomorrow. So I dunno who to blame now. I'll blame both of them I guess. Births deaths and marriages didn't seem to have much of an idea WTF was going on, and we've had ridiculous things happen with the local Australia Post office in the past; like parcels not being delivered because after 6 years living here they suddenly didn't know where I lived.
Hopefully after all this bullshit Centrelink will backpay, and hopefully we'll have a smooth trip when we finally get there. And hopefully against all odds, David might even have some money in his account by the end of the week.
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