Centrelink Income Management is coming to a town near you.

It could already be in your town or just around the corner.   Income Managments Healthy Welfare Card is the Twiggy Forrest brainchild of impending doom.  It is a further sign we are being over governed and civil rights are being stripped from people at an alarming rate. 

The Card

Income management is another nail in the coffin of civil liberties.  This government has taken an axe to the most under privileged in the community by cutting services and demanding they shop at the big 2 supermarkets.  No alcohol is alright but the mere fact there a zero cash component is a huge worry. 

This system is absolutely fraught with issues.  I am sure there will be a case mounted with the United Nations about this because it really stops peoples freedom to make their own mistakes to learn from them.  New South Wales is most definitely a nanny state now along with South Australia and Western Australia.  The Northern Territory is also facing worse problems being a federal enclave where federal law stands.  Those people up there don't stand a chance.

The card has already been introduced into some communities across Australia with it set to be rolled out to all Centrelink recipients especially Newstart and Family Tax Benefit Part A and B.  It appears at this point that pensions are going to be left alone.

There are many ways people could circumvent this process with a well organized system utilizing the working people in their very own community.  At least this way both parties get their needs met.  I am sure there are people planning how to circumvent this system as I type here.  The government has completely lost its marbles with this.

No going to a club ... zero social life.

 From Single Mum.com

Recently Alan Tudge said on radio that responsible parents will also be income managed, along with people who have drinking, drug or gambling problems within the trial sites.
Tudge described the new card as a Visa debit card that can be used "on anything, anywhere except alcohol or gambling." And very limited cash withdrawals.

Forced to shop at the Big Supermarkets.

I know there are so many ways around this so why do they bother in the first place.  That was a rhetorical question, because the reason they bother is the end goal is control.  I call the workers the free range slaves and the paddock is getting smaller by the day.

Images @ Eminpee Fotography 

Living in a Share House.

A perforated Penny Red with letters in four corners and plate 148, therefore printed 1871 or later. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Before I was married I spent many years sharing accommodation with many people in many places.  Some of this was a nightmare but most of it was great.
The nightmarish bits were usually attributed to unpaid bills and squabbles over the financials of the house.

It was at this point that I decided to get pro-active with my housemates and make some adjustments that were fair to everyone and that were open and transparent and so there was a less likelihood of the funds being used for the wrong purpose to which they were deemed.

In those days we did not have all of the agencies we have today. There was no help offered from government either. 

To avoid household dramas I researched payment methods and found that I could pay my household utilities with postage stamps.   This was a joy to find.  I dutifully collected a few dollars change from each member of the household for these stamps.  The stamps were stuck into a stamp book and were seen as legal tender and therefore could be used to pay bills with.  I would present the stamps to the retailer who would stamp them with a rubber stamp and pay the bill.

The utilities were not the expense they are today, if anything they were seen as a very very minor expense to the household.   This is far different today where the utilities costs to a house can render the family into financial ruin.   Families choose between electricity / gas  or food.  This is how serious it has become.

A share house today then is a serious situation to embark upon and it needs to be sorted who is paying for what at the onset of the agreement to avoid the pitfalls that can ruin lives financially speaking.

Centrepay is offered by Centrelink to help those who are on benefits and if there are people who are sharing your house on benefits they can use Centrepay to help contribute fairly and consistently to the household utility expenses and eliminating the issue that can cause problems amongst housemates.

Living in a share house  (from EWON)

When you open an account in your name, you take responsibility for all future bills. If the account is in more than one name, each person can be held responsible. If you are living in share accommodation, make sure the account holder details are kept up-to-date. You should ensure that everyone in your household agrees on who will be responsible for paying the bills.

Images @ Eminpee Fotography

Government releases it's New System for Better Employment and Social Outcomes.

Canberra Parliament House

This so called 'Blueprint' for overhaul of the welfare system recommends simplifying payments and extending income management.

 DOWNLOAD REPORT - AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENT of SOCIAL SERVICES.

 http://www.dss.gov.au/our-responsibilities/review-of-australia-s-welfare-system/a-new-system-for-better-employment-and-social-outcomes-executive-summary-of-the-interim-report

ABC STORY read here

Images @ Eminpee Fotography