I understand the desire to reduce deficits, but privatising everything is not the answer. Been waiting for 6 hours for my MyGov to load my (already registered and utilised) current claim, to no avail. Let's look at the current state of affairs:
1) Digitalising claims for assistance makes sense in theory, but adding more and more red tape to even the simplest request for assistance is just dishonest. Add insult to injury by ensuring that no staff are culpable, or even required to help, and we have the current Libs on fire.
2) Privatising JSPs may save you money, but it's ultimately a rort. Eg my JSP forgets to call in month 2, and when I go back a few months later (for more CL runaround) I'm told 'I' disappeared from existence... I mean, really?!
3) Privatising Health and Disability services may have added a few jobs in low-income areas of Australia, but ultimately removed the responsibility of the government to give a $#*!. I mean seriously, the horror stories I've heard (working in disability myself) are disgusting. All It's citizens are the government of Australia's concern, and their responsibility. There are no exceptions.
4) Removal of Benefits may save a buck in the portfolios of our richest citizens, but in truth, the "trickle-down effect" is (well-documented) BS. Those poor Aussies relying on 1.5 - 2x base pay rate to get by, suffer on many fronts - mathematically; a person with a $20/hour normal rate who works 7hrs, 2 days a week gets the following (incl. 9.5% Super):
2 *******@Normal pay rate: $253.40
1 *******@Normal / 1 day@ 1.5 pay rate: $316.75
1 day@1.5x / 1 *******@2x pay rate: $443.45
So a weekend worker makes an additional $190.05 in net pay per week... Do I need to tell you how much that can buy in an Aussie supermarket nowadays?!
In removing that bonus, the ALP has driven, (once again), our lowest earning Australians to below the poverty line... I mean come on! Whom benefits from that saving of just over $190 per 2 day staff member? Not the Aussie, the student, the new Mum, the close-to-retiree, the jobseeker, but the company. And yes, I get that that can make a difference to an Australian small business, and even reduce their trading hours, but seriously, that's an easy fix (Government assistance to Australian Small Business for weekend trading eg.)
5) Fear of the Future. Of course our miners and natural resources are incredibly important to us. They've supplied us with almost two hundred years of strong economic growth. But the world is running out of these resources as science and the everyman of Australia (ignoring the ignorant naysayers) knows it. We CAN choose to move our economy in new directions. Instead of rehashing the ALP benefactors' beliefs, we can try new approaches... How about offering free retraining to those in the mining industry? Retraining as technicians and engineers in the renewable energy sectors could allay some of the fears of these incredibly resourceful and resilient workers. It won't be an easy transferal for all, but do we want easy, or do we want to save the lives of our children with clean air?
TLDR: All in all, this app is the perfect assistant to terrible social policy that purely benefits only the richer among us. It's slow to do anything, unintuitive, difficult and frustrating. I know we all need to use it (if only to have even a chance at getting $#*! done), and it works, somewhat. And eventually. Just pls don't blame the DoCS staff for it's failures. The blame lies squarely on the shoulders of the current government.
My Gov is supposed to be user friendly and efficient to use. It is far from that! After incorrect password attempt was suspended for 2 hours. Why does it have to wait 2 hours? When we now have a 6 digit code that can be accessed on your phone app (which incidentally only gives 30 secs to use!) - must be punishment from the government to stop being able to get on with you day (in time out for 2 hours) then when you log back in - you would think you are given a chance to try your password again or say 'I forgot my password" but no! Either of those 2 attempts say -"your account is permanently blocked - you must create a new account" then to that - you need all your important papers dragged out of your filing cabinet - so I breathe a deep breath and get them and start answering questions to link what service I need (c/link). But still no luck cause here come the questions
Bank details (Chk) super details (Chk) ATO and date of issue of the actual letter (Chk) oldest child name (Chk) and details (Chk) youngest child name and crn (Chk) now here is the trick booby prize question & remember if you don't answer - you can't proceed - what is the receipt number of the last time you called Centrelink? (OMG I didn't write down down as never though I would need to refer a last conversation with c/link)? Who writes this number and stores it in case you lose your myGov account? This is bureacracy gone mad! My only way to resolve this issue is to call the hotline (wait my 1 hr to get through and get assistance to get a linking code but caution, as u still have to go through all above questions again but with exception to that receipt number because they can see it, and low and behold before you link Centrelink; you have to unlink another service like ATO first, then once c/link is linked the adviser will tell you they can help you re-establish you ATO link and now you have to call them and then child support to get different linking codes again so those services can be re-established!
When c/link is linked then after a 2 hour time out wait; then over 2 hours to re-establish your MY GOV account - it then will take you all of -10 secs to confirm the child care centre enrolment where your children go to, simply so they can be paid through the child care rebate!
Or the hell is responsible for this system and why are our taxes being allowed to be wasted on such inefficiencies? How do the elderly people cope with this load of rubbish?
The people who approved this system for general use ought to be totally embarrassed and ashamed! As a consumer and citizen of this country; this is the worst I have ever seen In Terms of a government IT systems: c/link systems included!
I agree with other comments; if this were the private sector, no one would put up with b/s. The people who are in high paid government positions have an absolute responsibly to ensure our Taxes are not wasted on this type of rubbish; you have failed as this system is useless! You ought to be publicly shamed for your incompetence.