Thread by @kristin8X

Watching estimates ... so Ray Griggs from the Department of Social Services doesn't know that NDIS recipients are NOT a subset of of DSP recipients 🤦

More than 9000 people have exited the #CashlessDebitCard in the first month since they've been eligible to do it ... that's 73% of the people who are allowed.

55 people have said they want to continue on a voluntary basis.

55.

you think to yourself "gee the labor party are pathetic" and then you see slade brockman and jacinta price in senate estimates and think "fuck that's right you can be worse than the labor party and we are all fucking doomed"

jacinta price just repeatedly saying that family violence in Aboriginal communities is "cultural" 😎

the trial for the $5000 (partly direct payments and partly "service vouchers" 🙄) available to people who need money to leave a violent relationship has had DOUBLE the demand that was predicted

We now have @SenatorJordon on DES. Lots going on in this area so let's hope we learn some more about what is being planned.

@SenatorJordon In the 2021-22 year 48,000 people in DES had a 6 month outcome (about 1.3% per month).

A couple of thousand people each month had a 12 month outcome (0.78%).

Wage subsidies that make it cheap/free to employ people in DES expire after 6 months.

This program costs billions.

@SenatorJordon They are fudging these numbers, talking about "job placements", which is not the same as the number of people with employment outcomes. A job placement involves work by DES, someone who gets their own job without help counts as an employment outcome.

@SenatorJordon We are now hearing the same bullshit implying that there isn't ALREADY the option for people in NDIS and on DSP to access DES on a voluntary basis.

@SenatorJordon DSS proposed the DES + NDIS trial – not the NDIA (who administers NDIS).

@SenatorJordon Department now implying that the DES reference group had something to do with this proposal to connect NDIS participants with DES. This was NOT a recommendation of that group - the department has cherry picked "feedback" they received.

@SenatorJordon The department is now confirming they didn't consult on this proposal. They say they *will* do that to design the trial. The trial that no disability representative organisations have asked for.

@SenatorJordon DSS says this won't be "compulsory". They also noted people CAN already sign up voluntarily. They're conveniently ignoring the COERCIVE component in this proposal – regardless of whether there is a requirement in legislation, people can still be financially penalised in practice.

@SenatorJordon Senior NDIA official tells @SenatorJordon he has attended accessibility and inclusion training ... when asked what was in it, he can't remember.

It is clear neither the public servants nor government MPs are equipped to deal with being questioned by politicians who actually know how government operates.

why is senate estimates, truly

Good news for optus customers! If your Centrelink CRN was compromised in the data breach Services Australia is now monitoring you extra closely 😊

We’re now hearing the government couldn’t possibly disclose how much they’re spending on consultation for income control programs because that would threaten procurement for the NEW system that they’re apparently consulting on.

So they’re already buying something they haven’t finished consulting on AND they can’t even say whether the tender process is open to anyone or just a select few handpicked companies. 👍👍👍

Anyway, my interpretation of what they just told @janet_rice is that plans for the new income management program don’t include people who are currently on BasicsCard … as senator rice pointed out, the number of people they’re planning for is FAR lower than the current caseload.

A guy from Services Australia just said the new program will operate under current income management legislation (that covers the BasicsCard). It’s hard not to feel that they intend to continue compulsory income control.

As Jacinta Price has pointed out, this new system sounds a lot like the cashless debit card, but with services. Sure hoping she’s wrong!

Now getting some cool anti vax content from senator rennick 🥲

He is repeatedly saying “department of services”, presumably meaning “department of social services”. An elected representative who earns 100s of 1000s a year. 🙂🔫

Fuck. Malcolm Roberts asking whether someone on JobSeeker would be cut off if they turn down a job with a vaccine mandate. Suddenly cares about the government “starving people” (his words).

It is eternally depressing to be reminded how pathetic these people are

Great to learn that the department knows they’re allowed to waive a debt! Would be good to know how they decide who to do that for. No one gives a fuck what’s in the fucking letter, that’s not what kills people.

THE GOVERNMENT HAS NO TIME LIMIT ON HOW FAR BACK THEY MAY PURSUE A DEBT

@janet_rice asked for clarification and used the example of going back a decade. Services Australia confirmed that yes that timeframe is within their policy.