Source document: https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/1697638155084.pdf (Australia)
SUBMISSION FORM – SENATE INQUIRY ON THE ADEQUACY OF NEWSTART, YOUTH ALLOWANCE AND RELATED PAYMENTS When completed, you can send your submission to the Senate inquiry through the following options: aph.gov.au/Parliamentary Business/Committees/OnlineSubmission community.affairs.sen@aph.gov.au 1) Online: 2) E-mail: 3) Mail: Department of the Senate, PO Box 6100, Parliament House Canberra, ACT, 2600, Australia Committee Secretary, Community Affairs Committee Please indicate if you would like your submission to be made: (please circle which one applies): - Made public with your name attached Please only fill in what you like or what you feel comfortable filling in, noting that it is a good idea to include contact email or number so the committee can contact you about your submission.
NAME: AGE POSTCODE: INTERESTED IN SPEAKING TO THE SENATE INQUIRY ( NO)?

---- 1.

How long have you been (or how long were you) on Newstart or another Allowance (i.e., Youth Allowance, Austudy, Abstudy, Special Benefit)?

What was your previous situation?

It’s hard to tell, 7-8 years, on and off, when my mental health started to deteriorate.

Before that I had worked 2-3 casual jobs up until that point, but lost them all after a close friend of mine died.

2.

How much did you receive per week?


How much did you have left after you pay your housing costs?

Did you receive Rent Assistance?

I don’t know man, it was all over the place the last couple years on it, while having a casual job, just know that it was not enough.

Adequacy of Newstart and related payments and alternative mechanisms to determine the level of income support paymentsin AustraliaSubmission 462 ​ ​ ​ ​ 3.

How did you manage to cover the cost of essentials like utilities?
Most of the money went on rent.

As for utilities, I paid them if I could, but if I couldn’t, I just didn’t, I am in debt now because of this.

4.

How did you manage to afford food?

Did you skip meals?

If so, how often?

Did you go without some kinds of food because of their cost?

I went without food, or I would hang around food courts, waiting for people’s leftovers.
I did a lot of bin-diving as well, eating expired food, and also fixed electronics I found in the DickSmith bins so I could take them to Cash Converters.

5.

How do you manage health costs?

Have you ever avoided getting healthcare (eg., seeing a dentist) because of the cost?

If so, explain: This is a big one for me, as I was incapable of receiving adequate health care while I was on newstart.
My teeth look like I have been eating sand, I tried to address my mental health issues, but was time and time again put on the incorrect medications for what I think might have been discrimination, due to being so poverty stricken.

Taking the incorrect medications, further sent my mental health into a downward spiral, eventually leading to my homelessness.

I also wasn’t able to address the issues with my spine, which eventually lead to problems with codeine and alcohol.
Adequacy of Newstart and related payments and alternative mechanisms to determine the level of income support paymentsin AustraliaSubmission 462 6.

How did you manage to cover transport costs?

Did you ever have to stay home because you cannot afford a bus or train fare?

Did you find it hard to maintain a car?

I would ask people exiting the bus if I could have their ticket, and wait for the next one, or just not pay to use the train or walk.

I missed out on a lot.

7.


What are some things that you went without or did differently?

For example, did you avoid using heating or cooling?

Do you buy second-hand clothes?

Did you find it difficult to buy gifts for loved ones for birthdays/other special occasions?

All of the above, honestly.

8.

What effect does living on a low income have on your mental health?

Do you ever isolated or lonely because of a lack of funds?

As mentioned previously, it had a huge effect on my mental health.
I felt extremely lonely when my girlfriend left me, because she said she needed someone with their shit together.

I lost a lot of friends because I couldn’t visit them, I isolated myself, and especially so when I didn’t have anywhere to live.

I had to stay in an abandoned school for a while, and wash up in public bathrooms.
You would think that not needing to pay rent would save you money, but it actually costs more, because you don’t have a fridge or anywhere to cook, and you need to buy new things a lot because they get stolen, or they are thrown out.

Adequacy of Newstart and related payments and alternative mechanisms to determine the level of income support paymentsin AustraliaSubmission 462 9.

Have you ever visited a charity to ask for assistance?

What led to this happening?


Was this a one-off, or do you do so regularly?

It was a regular thing.

10.

Does the current rate of Newstart make it harder to look for paid work?

OR, if you are studying, does the current rate make it difficult for you to study or train?

If yes, please explain why.

I have many many many skills, none of which were ever utilised or nurtured by my job networks to help me get employed.
The job networks are useless, they just want to bully you into doing free work or work that you are not physically or mentally fit for.

They would often try to get me to do things like quitting the casual job I had at the time, or tell me I needed to work for the dole on top of working a night shift, and going to university.

Eventually I had to drop out of Murdoch University, so I could continue working my casual job, just to pay the rent.
The only jobs I was ever to hold down, were ones that got through friends who knew that I was a skilled and have a great work ethic.. For the Current job that I hold, in which I do Frontend/Backend Web Development and Marketing, the job network did not give me a single bit of support.

They hassled me constantly so that they could get their commission for “finding me a job” (that my friend got me).

11.

What have been your experiences looking for paid work?
After the the mental beat-down that Newstart is, I stopped getting hired outside of friends offering me a job.

Adequacy of Newstart and related payments and alternative mechanisms to determine the level of income support paymentsin AustraliaSubmission 462 12.

What would a raise to Newstart and other allowances have meant for you?

How would it have affected your life?

How much of an increase would you like to see?


I wouldn’t have been homeless I would still have all my teeth Maybe I could have gotten the medical attention necessary to mitigate some of the deterioration to my spine.

I could have finished university This is all speculation, because Newstart is more of a Nostart.

If it were up to me, I would double Newstart, maybe then, people can actually have a fair go.

13.

Anything else you would like to add?


I typed this up exhausted and in a hurry at 1am, so please don’t mind the spelling and grammar faux-pas.

Adequacy of Newstart and related payments and alternative mechanisms to determine the level of income support paymentsin AustraliaSubmission 462