Centrelink gets labour-hire staff to take jobs and bully benefit recipients

By a pensioner

Reeling from the exposure over the inhumane way Centrelink treats those it is supposed to be helping, seems to have taught the organisation and the political heavies that call the tune, absolutely nothing at all.

This is nothing short of a national disgrace.

Now 1000 staff are going to be brought in from labour hire companies to help it recover debts, many of which are already known to be dodgy. This is a clear signal the bullying style that has become the normal means of operating, is going to be continued on purpose.

The Public Sector Union has understandably reacted with fury calling the move, yet another step in the privatisation of what is supposed to be the safety net for the most vulnerable Australians.

Regardless of the claims to the contrary, this is also an attack on permanent jobs at Centrelink.

A month ago it was revealed that the  multinational outsourcing giant Serco, was going to be involved. The new labour hire staff will be dispersed to Centrelink offices around the country, and importantly, they will have access to Centrelink systems.

This means that it will be more likely that personal information will make its way to the private sector and be improperly used.

The move is designed to help meet the Turnbull government’s cost cutting desires and has nothing to do with improving services and dealing with those who come in for help with a level of respect that anyone would consider their due.

Once again, the slant is that somehow, anyone receiving a benefit must be doing something wrong and deserves to be punished. While the poorest part of Australia is squeezed, fists full of money are handed over to the wealthiest, massive tax evasion is allowed to continue with impunity and taxes for the rich are likely to be cut again soon.

In my book there is something seriously wrong here. The stink of the obscenity of corrupt government is getting worse.

At the end of the day this persists because as a community we allow it to. Our misleaders work hard to turn us against each other and encourage us to play the blame gain on the less fortunate. As long as we allow them to get away with this,  the corruption will continue to fester.

I have been around for a few years now, and this is not particularly new. The difference, at least in my lifetime, is it has never been so bad. And it will get worse, until enough of us make a stand and say – no more.