‘What’s the problem?’: Aussie defends 22yo’s wild Centrelink bombshell

An Aussie mum sparked fury this week by sharing the staggering amount she’s saved on Centrelink benefits. But there’s more to the story.

OPINION

Nearly four years ago, I filmed a documentary for SBS about welfare.

Could You Survive on the Breadline – which you can stream on SBS On Demand – involved two others and me meeting and spending time with people on various forms of welfare while ourselves trying to live on $40 a day, which was then the rate of Newstart.

The point of the exercise was to prove whether or not you could actually live on welfare.

And the answer was not a straight one. For instance, I met two people on the disability support pension – both of whom lived in a housing commission. One was struggling immensely and the other was doing quite all right.

The difference seemed to be acceptance of one’s situation and good financial management.

A legally blind DSP recipient told me point blank in her housing commission flat at Redfern that welfare payments should not be increased.

She seemed to quite enjoy her life – her flat was well kept, she had a large vase collection, she had fresh tattoos and had taken overseas holidays.

She was doing that on the same amount of money as another man I met who relied on free food to get through the week.

As someone who has been vocally opposed to the welfare state my entire public life, it struck me at that point that the key to getting people off welfare is to give them a certain level of dignity so that someone with some financial nous can make do.

That applies less to DSP recipients who can’t work than some other forms of welfare, but the point remains.

25-year-old Sky News host Caleb Bond has made a big Centerlink claim. Pictures: Instagram

Which brings me to the case of single mum Susie who, as reported by this masthead, posted a video to TikTok explaining how she managed to save for a car deposit while studying and on welfare.

People then dragged her in the comments for having done so, suggesting that she should not be able to save while on welfare.

And to those people I would ask this – how do you expect someone to want to get off welfare if you don’t give them the taste of a better life?

Welfare bludgers do exist but this woman, as far as I can tell, is not one of them.

She is a 22-year-old single mother who has been studying at TAFE and is about to go to university so, clearly, she has ambitions for a career.

The taxpayer gives her $800 a week.

‘To get people off welfare, you must give them some room to move’. Picture: William West/AFP

She explains in the video that she saved $20,000 for a car by spending her money wisely – she doesn’t have any cosmetic procedures such as hair or nail treatments, she doesn’t drink or smoke, buy coffee or eat at restaurants.

In other words, she’s made sacrifices so she can afford something she really wants and needs: a car.

What’s the problem?

She’s the prime example of what all welfare recipients should be like – smart with their money.

Susie revealed how she has managed to save while receiving Centrelink payments. Picture: TikTok/_arcane_02

There’s many things she doesn’t do in order to cut down on her expenses. Picture: TikTok/_arcane_02

It is much better that she save for a car, which will make her more mobile and likely to get off welfare, than piss it up the wall on grog and takeaway.

I could probably live on $800 a week if needed, but it would require radical changes to my lifestyle.

Four-fifths of that money would be gone on what I currently pay in rent.

I thoroughly enjoy a bottle of red, but that would have to go.

It would require serious budgeting – and so it should.

But to get people off welfare, you must give them some room to move.

It’s a self-fulfilling prophecy – if you think you can’t improve your situation, then you won’t improve your situation.

That’s how people become institutionalised in the welfare system. If your parents were on welfare and that’s all you knew, then you are far more likely to end up on welfare yourself.

Welfare is not a long-term living, but it must be enough to allow people to live – not the lifestyle they want but a decent one – otherwise they will become so demoralised that they never get off it.

Miserable people lead miserable lives. And they’re exactly the sort of people who end up stuck on welfare for life, because they’re so busy moping and complaining that they can’t do anything else.

Susie is not doing that. She’s trying to build a better life – and good on her.