Went to Centrelink yesterday to drop off some paperwork they had requested. Waited in queue for about 10 minutes, got to counter, told woman what I wanted to do and was told I had to wait for an interview. I said, no, thanks, just want to drop off these papers. Ah, in that case, she said, producing a pre-paid envelope, you'll have to post them to us. Assuming she was taking the P out of me, I laughed. She was quite serious. I had to leave, find a post office and post the papers back to the office I had just left. I am starting to get a vague inkling of just how deep this nation has sunk into the do-do. No doubt Krudd could give me a 15-minute explanation, but I would not want to listen. Cheers, Tony
Ma said
04:44 PM Jul 28, 2009
Welcome to Centrelink Tony. Thank goodness I have gotten out of Centrelink clutches. I refused to tell them how many times a day I went to the loo. Didn't go down real good with the guy behind the counter. Told me I was being obstructive. Told him no I wasn't and even if I was by the time he had finished telling me what I could and couldn't do he would give me the "CURE" to end all cures for constipation.
Ma
dave06 said
04:56 PM Jul 28, 2009
you should have asked to see a supervisor, the twits behind the desk haven't the brainpower to think about complex situations, like standing and thinking at the same time
because we have a cerebral palsy son I have quite a few dealings with centrelink, (me being the primary carer) they know me now and as soon as they see me coming they get the boss of handicapped pensions out to deal with me, I refuse to line up with the bludgers so I get "premium" service
something to do with me threatening to pull one of the little fellers over the counter and give him a flogging that gives me this "privilege", when he See's me now I can watch the colour drain from his face
that was over Mr government mans once off payments, it had to be put in to the young fellers bank account but not being able to sign he couldn't get a bank account, so I had to "cosign" for him which was not suitable for this particular staffer, I was to and fromming the bank and the dole office until I got fed up and done my chewy (yet again)
they threatened to call the coppers and I just said "go ahead, see if you can find emergency accommodation for our son whilst I'm away, I bloody well cant, when I need it"
we are a nation of pencil pushers and paper shufflers and it wont change while we sit around wingeing about it, we must "do something"
viva Le revolution!!!
mike and Judy said
05:09 PM Jul 28, 2009
Mind you I aint no racist, but I know the feeling you are experiencing
May I suggest you cover your head in a scarf and/or tint your skin a little darker
JRH said
05:16 PM Jul 28, 2009
G'day,
Way back in the eighties we had a chap working with us who could not read or write, he was retrenched when the mill closed down. Next time I saw him was behind the counter at Centerlink. I asked how he got a job that required him to sit a public service test and he told me to be quiet as his mate sat the test for him. It makes you wonder.
Firefly said
06:11 PM Jul 28, 2009
Nothing surprises me with this lot, all this money they waste could be going to our hospitals mate. What a joke.
JRH said
06:25 PM Jul 28, 2009
Ah!!! 'tis a wonderful world we live in.
Wombat 280 said
07:31 PM Jul 28, 2009
Firefly wrote:
Nothing surprises me with this lot, all this money they waste could be going to our hospitals mate. What a joke.
That's why centerlink have little boxes to put things in. At the start of their career they undergo a full frontal lobotomy paid for by medicare to make then fit in with the other staff who have lost the ability to think out side the square . I can under stand what your going through , when DVA gave over the task of handling veterans inquiries to C/L we as a group flatly refused to line up with all the dead head drug addicts and those school leavers on the dole . In a very short space of time the system saw the error of it's decision to treat us like cattle and put in a side entrance and a very comortable waiting lounge. Trained a group of DVA dedicated officers to handle our affairs in private waiting rooms if requested , never had to wait longer than a couple of minutes to get attention since . Now that's people power.
Heard on the News that Royal Northshore Hospital is undergoing extensions . Cost 1 billion dollars, net gain 26 beds but no staff. Can I get into that building contact it sounds like a nice little money earner
Basil Faulty said
07:46 PM Jul 28, 2009
mike and Judy wrote:
Mind you I aint no racist, but I know the feeling you are experiencing May I suggest you cover your head in a scarf and/or tint your skin a little darker
And perhaps have difficulty speaking english?
Ma said
08:19 PM Jul 28, 2009
Wombat 280 wrote:
. I can under stand what your going through , when DVA gave over the task of handling veterans inquiries to C/L we as a group flatly refused to line up with all the dead head drug addicts and those school leavers on the dole . In a very short space of time the system saw the error of it's decision to treat us like cattle and put in a side entrance and a very comortable waiting lounge. Trained a group of DVA dedicated officers to handle our affairs in private waiting rooms if requested , never had to wait longer than a couple of minutes to get attention since . Now that's people power.
What State and what town was this in Wombat. Nothing like that here in Ulladulla. Guru still has to line up with the morons.
Wombat 280 said
10:46 PM Jul 28, 2009
Lovely Port Macquarie NSW they must be looking after us up here in Gods country.
When the changes first happened the Minister for Vet Affairs came out and said it was a mistake to treat our vet like other C/L customers and changes would happen and they did at this end anyway
Cruising Granny said
10:59 PM Jul 28, 2009
"The Department of Anit-Social Insecurity" never ceases to amaze me either.
When my Pension Card expired I waited for a new one, but waited in vain. I then blundered through the phone call debacle to "talk" to someone - anyone - a REAL person. It took a while but eventually I spoke person to a person in Townsville call centre.
As I'm on the road and constantly changing address, they sent me a new card every time I registered my new address for rent assistance. After a few months I told them to stop sending the cards. Firstly, because by the time I received them I was 500kms up the road. Secondly, it was a waste of time and resources. So they stopped sending them, making a note on my computer file to STOP sending ALL cards to me, even the current, annual card.
During this phone call I learned they don't make a distinction between the interim cards and the annual one-of card. Therefore I didn't get a card.
They have my postal address, and coincidently they have my current residential address.
Now, according to the Policy it is policy, if requested, to not send a new card every time a nomad moves on, but to send the renewal if there's a postal address on the computer file.
They use the same policy and procedure manual, they get copious amounts of training, and still they make their interrpretations and adjust things to the time of day, their level of intelligence, and I do use the term very, very loosely.
Common sense does not prevail at the offices of Centrelink all around Oz.
The positive surprise was at the Yepoon branch where a floor walker, possibly the manager, approached customers personally and directed them to an available officer for immediate attention. No long lines there. But it's an isolated experience.
We could all contribute our Centreling experiences to a book. I have plenty since I became a single mother, instead of staying in a violent place. I really had to prove my circumstances. They have caused me much distress over the years. Cheers Chris
dave06 said
10:13 AM Jul 29, 2009
unfortunately they that state we are the wrong "color or creed" are correct I'm sad to say, we have a "black's" only section where theses people come in and go direct to an "indigenous" centrelink officer
the line may be twenty long but when one of our "priviliged" walks in it is red carpet all the way, I have seen this and placed a complaint about it but to no avail
same with our health system, we have a "healthy wellbeing community bus" that does the rounds of aboriginal communitys with clinical nurses onboard but it takes three days if I want to see a quack
"not fair humphrey bear"
Basil Faulty said
08:28 PM Jul 30, 2009
Mind you the Centrelink people have a lot on their plate.... every 2 bit hooker in the country is ripping off the welfare system, all the neer do wells need cash for their drugs, and with unemployment on the rise "Welfare" will become a the only growth industry in the country.... Personally I think radical and somewhat draconian reforms are needed. I have a TPI Card and get a Pension card from DVA however Centrelink seems to want to administer my "account" and I spat the dummy, and since then have had no trouble with them. I don't bother with them instead I use the DVA freecall 1800555254 and they usually can resolve any probs over the phone.
Ma said
09:10 PM Jul 30, 2009
Have noted the phone number Basil. I would venture to say that we will probably need it at some stage. Thanks
How did we survive when we were their age...........NO DOLE...........work or go without. They WOULDN'T survive.
I said, no, thanks, just want to drop off these papers.
Ah, in that case, she said, producing a pre-paid envelope, you'll have to post them to us.
Assuming she was taking the P out of me, I laughed.
She was quite serious. I had to leave, find a post office and post the papers back to the office I had just left.
I am starting to get a vague inkling of just how deep this nation has sunk into the do-do. No doubt Krudd could give me a 15-minute explanation, but I would not want to listen.
Cheers, Tony
Ma
Way back in the eighties we had a chap working with us who could not read or write, he was retrenched when the mill closed down. Next time I saw him was behind the counter at Centerlink. I asked how he got a job that required him to sit a public service test and he told me to be quiet as his mate sat the test for him. It makes you wonder.
That's why centerlink have little boxes to put things in. At the start of their career they undergo a full frontal lobotomy paid for by medicare to make then fit in with the other staff who have lost the ability to think out side the square . I can under stand what your going through , when DVA gave over the task of handling veterans inquiries to C/L we as a group flatly refused to line up with all the dead head drug addicts and those school leavers on the dole . In a very short space of time the system saw the error of it's decision to treat us like cattle and put in a side entrance and a very comortable waiting lounge. Trained a group of DVA dedicated officers to handle our affairs in private waiting rooms if requested , never had to wait longer than a couple of minutes to get attention since . Now that's people power.
Heard on the News that Royal Northshore Hospital is undergoing extensions . Cost 1 billion dollars, net gain 26 beds but no staff. Can I get into that building contact it sounds like a nice little money earner
Personally I think radical and somewhat draconian reforms are needed. I have a TPI Card and get a Pension card from DVA however Centrelink seems to want to administer my "account" and I spat the dummy, and since then have had no trouble with them. I don't bother with them instead I use the DVA freecall 1800555254 and they usually can resolve any probs over the phone.
How did we survive when we were their age...........NO DOLE...........work or go without. They WOULDN'T survive.