This response is from a Sydney man in his 40s. He has requested that his name be withheld.
[I had to] apply for jobs that had caused me trauma.
Survey responses
| Provider names | APM |
| Do ‘mutual’ obligations activities make your mental or physical health worse? | Yes |
| Have you been able to access programs or services through a job agency or other provider that helped to improve your physical or mental health? | No |
| Have you ever had paid work, study commitments or caring duties at the same time as being required to do ‘mutual’ obligations? | Yes, I have had paid work while doing ‘mutual’ obligations; Yes, I have been a carer for a child; Yes, I have been a student |
| Do you do any unpaid work? | Yes |
| Do you have any paid work? | Yes |
If you were able to speak directly to the politicians who decide what we need to do to get a Centrelink payment, what would you say to them?
Abolish mutual obligationsParticipation requirements welfare recipients must fulfil each month to continue... and increase jobseeker payments to enable recipients to access a living wage.
What effect do ‘mutual’ obligations have on your wellbeing?
Extremely stressful at times
What is the worst activity you have had to do?
Attend monthly appointments and apply for jobs that had caused me trauma from past experiences and had physical injuries which would be exacerbated as they were the jobs that caused it. Attempts to ask to not be considered for certain roles due to this were ignored.
Do you want to say anything about your experience with your providers?
Doing what they were paid to do obviously.
Employment services survey
The Punishment for Profit report is based on hundreds of responses to surveys conducted by the Antipoverty Centre. This research is ongoing. If you are in Workforce Australia, Disability Employment Services or a similar program, we welcome any information you are able to share about your experiences.