Hundreds descend on Sydney Centrelink offices as MyGov website crashes
The MyGov website was not downed by a cyber attack, instead it crashed because more than 95,000 jobless Australians were trying to apply for coronavirus income support, the Government Services Minister has admitted.
NSW
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Hundreds of desperate Sydneysiders descended on Centrelink offices on Monday in a frantic bid for welfare support in scenes reminiscent of the Great Depression.
Police monitored a line of almost 100 people waiting in Marrickville to open its doors, speaking to workers inside the centre. One of the police told The Daily Telegraph they were not responding to an incident but just being proactive.
The queues came after the MyGov website crashed while dealing with an influx of traffic from people applying for government payments amid the coronavirus economic fallout.
Government Services Minister Stuart Robert initially blamed the outage on traffic and a “cyber attack” before being forced to clarify after no evidence of malice was found.
“Advice to me this morning was that MyGov attracted 95,000 concurrent users, at 9.40am that triggered the DDoS alarms, denial of services alarms going off, and slowed the system,” he said.
“The DDoS alarms show no evidence of a specific attack today, that doesn’t need there is no need for heightened cyber security.”
Mr Robert said the website was now able to deal with 55,000 concurrent users – up from 6000 at the weekend – and if someone tried to access it beyond that number, they would have to wait for someone to get off.
“We have put a 10-fold increase on our digital channels over the weekend in preparation,” Mr Robert said.
Among those waiting Alison Taylor, 25, and her cousin Emma Morales, also 25.
Ms Taylor worked at a pub in Western Sydney but said once she saw they were getting closed she made the decision to get some help.
“Shifts had already started drying up. We saw on the news that the pubs would be shut and I need help covering my rent, that’s what I’ll use this for,” she said.
“We still have not heard anything from the pub.
“This line is crazy, most of these people are waiting for a CRN number (customer reference number). Otherwise, we would just do this online.”
Ms Morales said it was a worrying time for jobseekers.
“We have never been here before, we’ve never had to get any payments or help before,” Ms Morales said.
“I had been looking for work for a few weeks but nowhere was hiring. I’ve finally decided to come here and try and get some help because I’m worried it will be a long time before places start looking for staff.”
More than three hundred people who have lost their jobs due to the impact of the coronavirus queued at Bondi Junction Centrelink to claim the dole.
Forlorn and anxious, the bulk of twenty and thirty somethings, who work in retail and the restaurant industry, queued since 7am to sign
up for Newstart and Job Seekers’ allowance after bosses told them yesterday they could no longer afford to keep them on.
Zuni Bruneau, 23, lost two jobs Working in an ice rink at Mascot and as a race car driver.
“I’m here because of the virus outbreak, everything closes as of midday today, bars, cafes, restaurants, so we are here at Centrelink signing on,” she said.
“My mum has lost her job as a masseuse so I’m staying with her for now. I’m scared, I don’t want to be unemployed.”
Lara Fox, 23, and Ben Telley, 27, had her shifts cut from 30 hours a week to five at Basement Books at Central Station.
“I were there casually as I’m a student, but now I can’t pay my rent,” she said.
“I’ve probably got enough savings for a month and a half but then I think the landlord will kick us out of our apartment in Randwick. I’m so stressed.
“Rents in eastern suburbs are expensive.”
Waitress Bronwen Willis, 33, Was given a “survival package” by staff at Bondi Icebergs Fine Dining yesterday along with scores of other restaurant staff made redundant.
“I can’t use dropped his knees, where in shock but I understand that this thing is bigger than us and that Icebergs is an iconic venue and tourist driven. It can’t survive. The only consolation is that we’re in this together.
“Our hours dropped and dropped and dropped over the last few weeks and yesterday bosses said they couldn’t keep us on any more and gave us an information pack about signing on at Centrelink and where to go for help.
“We are just waiting to get evicted from our homes. I don’t think I’ll generation has ever been tested in this way, the virus is affecting hundreds of people from different races and different countries. “
Alex Harkovski, 26, lost his job in sales four weeks ago.
“I’ve been calling Centrelink every day but no one picks up. This queue is massive but no one will pick up the phone, the countries are
prepared for what’s happening.
“All I want is my $550 a fortnight to help pay the rent, hopefully today they’ll finally sort it.”