Senate calling for submissions - welfare recipients

The senate is calling for submissions from people on welfare who would be affected by Abbott's attack on the poor in his budget. I've just sent off my little effort. You can do through this site set up by GetUp.

Right now, the Senate is calling for public submissions into the Government's harsh budget cuts to the age pension, Newstart, the Disability Support Pension and Family Tax Benefits. The Senators trying to stop these devastating cuts have told us how important personal stories are to winning the fight. 

Will you share your story now to give our Senators the anecdotal evidence they need to stop these unfair Budget measures from taking effect? Tell your story  

 
Update:

My little effort was sent to my email. Here it is:

 Dear senators,

I'm Peter in Sydney. I've been on the DSP for a couple of years after working full time for 30 years. I got horrifyingly sick a while back nearly dying of acute kidney failure; an allergic reaction to a specific HIV medication. I've been HIV positive for nearly 5 years now. Luckily my kidneys have recovered today to where they're monitored and stable and I don't need dialysis anymore.

I regularly visit the doctor, getting blood tests done every quarter for the HIV like all the campaigns tell me to, sometimes more if there's a concern. I was tested for HIV only two months after being infected, getting checked regularly like all the campaigns said to. I am currently on 6 permanent daily medications, including the two HIV pills. My illnesses include HIV, chronic kidney failure, severe depression, PTSD, and a rang of more minor run of the mill illnesses like blood pressure, stomach acid reflux, etc.

In my present living situation I've been here for about 7 years and after the rent paid I have $250 a week to live off. That's for everything from eating to paying for meds. There is absolutely no money to spare, and for the first time this electricity bill I'm having to go to charity to get help with it.

The proposed changes to Medicare, and the different indexation for the future, would put me in a completely impossible financial situation, and I've no doubt would have an severe effect on my health. Not simply from not being able to pay for pills and see my doctor, but also from the impact on my mental health.

After diagnosis with HIV in 2009 I became intensely suicidal for about 6 months. I'm still in therapy for that and taking a very large dose of anti-depressants still today. To this day one of the regular questions asked in the therapy sessions is "Have you had any thoughts of suicide"? Being in such a vulnerable mental health position as this, making life impossible to survive will only exacerbate that.

I fear now for my future health and survival. Literally.

Thank you,