The Joys of Unemployment Part II
September 21st 2006 11:14
Who would have thought that a government institution in Australia would discriminate against people in a straight relationship or those living with someone of the opposite sex?
Well, it’s true.
If you are on Centrelink benefits and living with your partner in a same sex relationship, you can claim rent assistance with no problem at all.
But, if you are living with a person of the opposite sex, claiming rent assistance is a much more difficult task.
As soon as you say you are living with someone of the opposite sex, you are required to fill out a document of about 15 pages, full of very private questions.
Centrelink asks you questions like what rooms are shared in the house, how the domestic duties are completed, if you have sex with the person you are sharing the house with, and do you socialise with this person. It is understandable that Centrelink needs to ascertain if you are in a relationship but it’s not fair that you have to provide personal details about yourself and the person you are living with, just because you live with someone of the opposite sex. What about gay people?
I also find it appalling that people have to fill out such a revealing document, purely because they are sharing a house with someone of the opposite sex who is receiving the unemployment and claiming rent assistance. Why should you have to give out your work details, car registration details, information about your sex life and so on just because you’re renting with someone of the opposite sex who is on Centrelink benefits, when this form isn’t required to be filled out by gay people?
It should be the same rules for everyone, regardless of gender and their sexual preference.
If you are sincerely looking for work and in an unfortunate circumstance of being unemployed, the whole process of claiming Centrelink benefits is arduous and humiliating. There are many people who really want to work and should receive encouragement and support, not placed into a category of being a “dole bludger”.
The system needs to be made easier and less humiliating. Give dole bludgers a hard time but not people sincerely looking for work and don’t discriminate against those sharing a house with someone of the opposite sex.
Make the system fair.
Well, it’s true.
If you are on Centrelink benefits and living with your partner in a same sex relationship, you can claim rent assistance with no problem at all.
But, if you are living with a person of the opposite sex, claiming rent assistance is a much more difficult task.
As soon as you say you are living with someone of the opposite sex, you are required to fill out a document of about 15 pages, full of very private questions.
Centrelink asks you questions like what rooms are shared in the house, how the domestic duties are completed, if you have sex with the person you are sharing the house with, and do you socialise with this person. It is understandable that Centrelink needs to ascertain if you are in a relationship but it’s not fair that you have to provide personal details about yourself and the person you are living with, just because you live with someone of the opposite sex. What about gay people?
I also find it appalling that people have to fill out such a revealing document, purely because they are sharing a house with someone of the opposite sex who is receiving the unemployment and claiming rent assistance. Why should you have to give out your work details, car registration details, information about your sex life and so on just because you’re renting with someone of the opposite sex who is on Centrelink benefits, when this form isn’t required to be filled out by gay people?
It should be the same rules for everyone, regardless of gender and their sexual preference.
If you are sincerely looking for work and in an unfortunate circumstance of being unemployed, the whole process of claiming Centrelink benefits is arduous and humiliating. There are many people who really want to work and should receive encouragement and support, not placed into a category of being a “dole bludger”.
The system needs to be made easier and less humiliating. Give dole bludgers a hard time but not people sincerely looking for work and don’t discriminate against those sharing a house with someone of the opposite sex.
Make the system fair.
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