I would consider myself a fairly averagely educated Aussie bloke able to understand most concepts and navigate my way through most of life’s application forms. But, when it comes to Centrelink (an Australian Government Assistance Office) forms and dealings, I am filled with dread.
Recently, Centrelink made a mistake! And when I rang to discuss this, the officer admitted it was their mistake, "but", he said, "we cannot override the computer, you will need to start the whole process of justifying yourself again, Sir."
I couple of days later I received a 27 page application in the mail. These forms are hard work, they are ambiguously worded, they are repetitive, they are (necessarily) personal, they are confusing; they are exhausting and frightening, because if you make a mistake you can be prosecuted! And that's how a "fairly averagely educated Anglo Aussie" feels. I can only imagine how a new Australian, a person desperately trying to fit in and be 'normal' would feel.
And then it got worse. Instructed to appear at my nearest Centrelink office I walked into a large building were the first person I saw was a security guard. There were long lines of people with their eyes down to the floor and heads bowed. Most people didn't look at each other, they either stood in line, waiting to approach the high counter were an officer waited, or sat and waited in impersonal waiting areas staring at a large plasma screen.
There was a tangible heaviness in the air; it felt like any life and joy had been sucked out, (reminiscent of a scene with Dementors from Harry Potter). There was nothing about the place, or the people working, that made this office anything but a place where I felt like I was on trial. People were ashamed to be here – and nothing or no one attempted to mitigate that reality.
I felt desperately ashamed of what we make people go through to receive assistance – I felt like I was being challenged to beat the system if I could and if I dared.
Let me add quickly that I am not criticizing all the staff – when I did see an officer she was lovely, helpful and, miraculously – she agreed that it was their mistake and the computer could be overridden!
There has to be a better way Centrelink – just making the waiting areas a little less sterile and unfriendly would help. But maybe in the meantime we need to get some people to conduct stealth missions. Maybe we could get some people to infiltrate Centrelink waiting rooms and see if they can inject some hope and, whatever the opposite of shame is, into these offices of shame.
