Ever wonder what it was really like to be on Unemployment Benefits? The following observations and anecdotes cover several years of my experiences in dealing with joys of Unemployment, the “Australian Department of and associated Non-government entities. Sit Employment” and enjoy the ride. back… relax… they “Dole Bludgers” call us… You hear it on talkback, you hear it in public, you hear it on TV, you read it on blogs and on they call us Internet forums… “Dole Bludgers”. they get a “Why don’t job?” never been out of “I’ve work.” a they not “Anyone can find job… if don’t they’re trying.” no reason to not have a “There is job.” are plenty of jobs out there. Industries are begging for “There people.” on the “They’re just bludging off us, living “The Life” dole.” Living The Life? Really? On the dole? You must be kidding. as they is under the poverty line. “The Life” put it… what at all. It isn’t I’d actually call, “living” a form of subsistence at It’s best… For most of us the slow, but inevitable spiral into the “Dole Bludgers”, it’s gutter and homelessness. watching all and saved for over It’s you’ve worked the years, disappearing. scraping together enough daily: to somehow pay It’s all the bills and buy food and keep healthy.
Ever wonder what it was really like to be on Unemployment Benefits? The following observations and anecdotes cover several years of my experiences in dealing with joys of Unemployment, the “Australian Department of Employment” and associated Non-government entities. Sit back… relax… and enjoy the ride. “Dole Bludgers” they call us… You hear it on talkback, you hear it in public, you hear it on TV, you read it on blogs and on Internet forums… they call us “Dole Bludgers”. “Why don’t they get a job?” “I’ve never been out of work.” “Anyone can find a job… if they don’t they’re not trying.” “There is no reason to not have a job.” “There are plenty of jobs out there. Industries are begging for people.” “They’re just bludging off us, living “The Life” on the dole.” Living The Life? Really? On the dole? You must be kidding. “The Life” as they put it… is under the poverty line. It isn’t what I’d actually call, “living” at all. It’s a form of subsistence at best… For most of us “Dole Bludgers”, it’s the slow, but inevitable spiral into the gutter and homelessness. It’s watching all you’ve worked and saved for over the years, disappearing. It’s scraping together enough daily: to somehow pay all the bills and buy food and keep healthy.