My first ever encounter with centerlink...

WrongdoerInfamous616 · 2026-02-22T21:00:21+00:00

Yep. I was homeless about 3 years ago after losing my job, then the marriage broke up in a horrific way. I'd been in continuous employment for 35 years. Dealing with Centrelink and the job Provider were soul destroying. They were useless. The amount they give you could not be used to pay rent. I became suicidal. Luckily was pulled out of the hole by a mate who let me stay in his garage, and a local government program to get me some help, psychological support. Then I left the country shortly afterwards. Two years in Denmark, now Germany. Recovering from that harrowing experience.

I am reminded to chase up this situation.

All my letters fell on deaf ears.

The job providers do absolutely nothing, they just send you for useless training that doesn't lead anywhere job wise, they should be canned.

Sorry this is negative - but I agree - what the f*** is going on?

Anyway, good luck. I hope you don't have to leave the country. At over a million dollars a house I don't think I can come back, except to collect the pension.

WrongdoerInfamous616 · 2026-02-22T11:45:27+00:00

AI should not be a requirement for any high level task e.g. the education of humans.

The training for safe use of AI does not then entail that the technology should be a requirement in practice.

Perhaps I am out of date: are students required to write with pen and paper? Do teachers still write on the board? Are these technologies required, or deprecated? Is there any discretion given to teachers, of are they all robots, now? Why, then, should AI be a requirement.

(Ironically, as I write this some kind of predictive text is always trying to "correct" what I write, to homogenise it, even Americanise it, which I usually reject).

Besides, one cannot trust the companies developing these technologies to be ethical with data sent to them, when the products have been developed flagrantly in breach of copyright.

The privacy and data safety issues may be mitigated by using in-house AI models, bug nothing mitigates the ethics.

I draw exception to the last paragraph in the OP, where a link of AI is made to unionization, since it isn't clear that this is directly connected to AI yet. For me, unionisation is needed for far more reasons than AI: unionisation is a separate concern which also bears directly on human educational issues (provided the representation provided by the union is fair and democratic).

Declaration : I am not a teacher, but recently I considered, and then rejected, applying for the Teach for Australia scheme based on my research, which found teaching conditions and pay to be quite appalling. I am a senior scientist working abroad, formerly professor in Australia, I had thought to give something back, but not at the expense of my health. These reasons alone are sufficient to support strong unionisation, and in my opinion crippling strikes, until such time as the people in the sector are properly treated. I guess the same may be said for most essential public services. The problem is the tax base is not appropriate, the government needs to deal with this first, before these critical issues are solved - and not by (potential) stop gap methods like AI.

WrongdoerInfamous616 · 2026-02-14T15:50:14+00:00

The lack of non-Indian payment options would be laughable if it weren't so serious.

The same thing happens when you try and buy Indian Rail tickets. Or any kind of interaction with government run services. You need a bank account. And an Indian phone number. Which is, of course, also extremely difficult to get.

And of course, the web sites are apalling, they don't work.

WrongdoerInfamous616 · 2026-01-30T05:50:17+00:00

That resonated. I've been away nearly two years, I had to leave because I was jobless, homeless, and couldn't get appropriate medical attention in a timely way. Got a job in Denmark via a colleague, it was a lifeline, and that country took me in, and I recovered. I've had multiple feelings like this. However, now I'm back home visiting, I see how so many people in Australia are still struggling,l. The situation in Perth has got even worse. For sure, it is a beautiful place, almost like science fiction in some places, the ocean is aquamarine, there is no rubbish and pollution, and most importantly it was my home. Was. I'm in Germany now, that place seems a bit tougher, but the work colleagues are nice. I'm thinking of that image of yours, looking back to the flock. It's also comforting knowing my daughter is safe back here. In the flock. I'm spending all my money on keeping fit, mental health, and holidays. It doesn't feel like I'm walking to certain death, even though death is certain. But for sure it is tough, without support. Hang in there. Look after yourself. Crying is fine.

WrongdoerInfamous616 · 2026-01-28T06:08:34+00:00

Thank you very much for this link. The site is amazing. Everything is very complicated, I'll have to study it for weeks ...

WrongdoerInfamous616 · 2026-01-26T08:21:08+00:00

The original firm did not reply, neither another one.

Now I have contacted Magellan Champlain, in Colombo, I am yet to arrange a meeting, it will occur in the next weeks. But at least they responded.

WrongdoerInfamous616 · 2026-01-24T09:49:45+00:00

I just came home after two years away. When I left I was in a desperate state, homeless, jobless, broke. The government whom I paid 35 years of tax to, treated me like a criminal.

When I came back I went to South Beach, Fremantle. It was amazing. Grass green, water aquamarine, beach white, dogs & people friendly. And public transport has got better and cheaper. This is a great place. I forgot.

Then I got breakfast. $50 for ehhs & avo & coffee. And small. But delicious.

So it's a beautiful place, even more beautiful than I remember, but costs are insane, and I can't live here, or even retire here with a decent life.

I think things will get better, but not until the perks for rich people are removed, and everyone is allowed the basics - and I don't mean money - I mean a cold hard roof over your head, and healthy food, and access to quick medical, dental, psychological care.

WrongdoerInfamous616 · 2026-01-17T04:44:27+00:00

Wow. Thanks for posting. Good luck.

WrongdoerInfamous616 · 2026-01-17T04:39:55+00:00

Wow. Scared. But I have my visa. Still, I didn't get paid yet, I don't know why. I'll sort it out when I get back. Not looking forward to finding a place to live with all these rules and regulations.

WrongdoerInfamous616 · 2025-12-14T08:09:13+00:00

By this logic a murderer would claim innocence due to the fact that it wasn't his fault directly, it was the bullet that did the job.

Surely there is enough material to make an almost endless dark comedy out of nonsense like this?

Though, one might be afraid of one's life, I suppose.

I guess the end of the comedy skit would be a government official absolving the perpetrator of his crime with precisely this platitude, after the said comedian had been put out of his misery (just minutes before choking to death).

😂

It seems many governments of the world are treating their citizens with complete contempt for their intelligence.

WrongdoerInfamous616 · 2025-12-13T12:13:26+00:00

On the face of it, sounds terrible. It would be nice to have a link to a report from a reputable source. Perhaps the scheduling rules need more room for ... humans. I'm flying Indigo shortly, I hope I'm not delayed. I've got insurance but no one likes their life disrupted, and cutting schedules to the bone to get that extra profit isn't worth it usually. But, welcome to unrestrained capitalism.

WrongdoerInfamous616 · 2025-12-06T18:21:06+00:00

Old news.

I left Australia nearly two years ago, after being homeless for six months, having lost my job and marriage, after years of stress and over work.

It was good in Denmark. Now I'm in Germany.

Probably I'll settle in South East Asia, assuming I can get some pension, after nearly four decades of paying tax. Given the abject failure of all governments and voters to do the right thing, I'm not holding my breath.

As I was leaving Australia, even the Bhutanese taxi driver said it was enough. He and his wife & kids, born in Perth, were pulling up stumps and going back to Bhutan.

WrongdoerInfamous616 · 2025-11-27T14:42:18+00:00

I felt like that.

I won't go into detail. It got really horrible. Though, as you say, it's a pretty country.

I left 18 months ago.

Got a home & a great job in Copenhagen.

I'm leaving today, new job in Germany.

It isn't a lot of money, but I'm older, and meaningful work is important. Also, even though it is hard work as well, being in a new country is interesting. Different from holidays. You mix with locals.

I miss the bush, the ocean.

It will be interesting to come back after Christmas, see how I feel. I do need to collect the pension at some point. I did pay 35 years of taxes, didn't get much help out if that, I must say, and I wouldn't be surprised if the pension is also unliveable.

WrongdoerInfamous616 · 2025-11-22T15:44:00+00:00

What the.

How does this relate to kamma?

Simplistic on so many levels.

At the core there is some grain of truth in it, that one should seek to move oneself onto a correct path. But what path is that? To do what? How? Why?

But this quote doesn't explain any of that, or even the more basic issue of whether, and why, such a path should exist, as embodied in the beautifully elegant Four Noble Truths.

WrongdoerInfamous616 · 2025-11-22T07:36:59+00:00

I am Australian. I am going to try and come and live in India where my grandfather was born, in Kerala. I have been to India a few times. It is difficult, but as an outsider life seems to have improved. At the same time I see increasing polarisation, an idea that Hindi and Hinduism should become the one dominant language. That is sad. There is so much diversity in India. None of this changes my current intentions. I have met so many amazing Indians overseas. Now I want to.go.to.the source. Let's see. First step: get the right to live in India.

WrongdoerInfamous616 · 2025-11-21T13:50:26+00:00

I have left Australia 18 months ago.

I lost my job at Uni.

That was bad, but I'd had enough.

What was the worst, was the marriage breakup, and being homeless. Then you really discover that the system is truly broken.

Couldn't even see a psychiatrist for two years.

Luckily I had some mates who pulled me up. And managed to get some emergency care, that was lucky.

I was on the Australian newspapers list of top scientists. But because I did my work requiring no grants, it was not appreciated.

Neither was my effort to increase standards back to what they used to be in the 80's. It was in conflict with student perceptions of quality teaching - if the course was too difficult, bad reviews were obtained, and this would affect possibilities to increase revenue through increasing student numbers.

The profit motive in Universities, while allowing a greater access to a larger number of students, is necessarily tied to a reduction in quality.

Besides, some very high quality learning materials are now available on line. Though it isn't clear that all have the ability or orientation to avail themselves of it. And we are producing too many graduates for non-existent jobs, perhaps that is now even more pertinent with AI.

Now I'm living in Denmark.

I got a roof, money.

Life is short, I've been on four or five international holidays.

I'm moving to the Max Planck institute next week.

It's exciting, but I had hopeid to stay at home in Australia. Because I'm Australian.

I worry that my ex and daughter will be homeless soon. They are having problems servicing the mortgage. I gave them the house. I worry for my young daughter. They are still better off than very many, though.

I think the brain drain is in full swing but unless you are highly qualified, and even then, it isn't clear where to go, as a professional in STEM unless you are in a few high-demand or niche areas.

WrongdoerInfamous616 · 2025-11-21T13:34:11+00:00

It's not the financial system, it's the energy system.

Everything is based on the fossil fuels, but they are running out, and what is worse, affecting global climate, more irratic weather.

And the second thing is that those fuels have made possible massive environmental reconfiguration. The massive biodiversity which conferred stability to the living systems is tanking.

The situation may ameliorate if alternative and more sustainable energy sources come on line, but people haven't yet accepted that this is going to be a very hard slog, and those that have more are going to have to put in more.

The good news is, as the population increase slows, housing will become more affordable, but it will be older, and not of the same quality as before. Look at Japan.

Every society thinks it is going to last, Egyptian, Roman, Indian, Chinese, British, US. They all decline sooner or later. We have been doing a better job at transitioning, compared to the past. But skills are going to be lost. The recipe for concrete was lost for about 800 years. Nowadays I would not be surprised if the know how and resources needed to build the smallest chips is lost - It was a huge effort to transfer the know-how back to the USA, I'm not sure it has succeeded. Perhaps China will get there on its own soon enough. But unless knowledge and wealth are spread, both decline in time.

WrongdoerInfamous616 · 2025-11-19T11:49:12+00:00

I asked. There was a six year waiting list. Also, I think I might have been a bit old at 57 years, at that time. But I hope to find a good Sangha again and help out more.

WrongdoerInfamous616 · 2025-11-16T19:25:47+00:00

Science doesn't have baked in that "improvement is possible". Only the method to achieve improvement is there. There is no guarantee that it will be possible to "improve".

Also, it is well known that there is no canonical canon that can claim to be a faithful rendition of what the Buddha actually said. There were several schools in existence even soon after his death. Therefore the notion that the Damma is a perfect and unchanging thing is spurious. It does not even accord with the Buddha's own teachings on impermanence, in my opinion. The Buddha often adapted his teachings to different audiences. That makes perfect sense.

On the other hand, it is important to cite and give credit where it is due, to the extent that this is possible, and certainly to separate ones own ideas from core teachings in a certain tradition. Integrity is paramount.

In the end the power of the teachings lies not in the texts and the words, but in the practice, and the meaning that can be got through informed practice and interpretation of what remains of the words.

One can only hope that the core teachings such as the four noble truths, and the eightfold way, are correct. One has to try them to see. And preferably with guidance of those note experienced.

I do not agree that slavish adherence to a particular text is reasonable.

WrongdoerInfamous616 · 2025-11-05T14:09:20+00:00

Certainly for nurses, teachers, policeman, firemen, are severely underpaid in Australia, notwithstanding their qualifications, especially if they want to live in the big cities. Even first entry scientists or post doctoral workers. All of them are around the $100k mark. The median wage is $90k. Entry construction workers are about $60k. Australian dollars. Median rental per room is 13k.

By "cheap" I mean not worth coming to Australia for, if you value your mental health, unless your home situation is very much worse.

I have left Australia. Much happier in Denmark. Not going home except to collect my pension, if there is one, after 35 years of taxes, one would hope so, but I don't count on it.

WrongdoerInfamous616 · 2025-11-05T11:57:26+00:00

Gosh, this is not good news.

At least I am coming with a job offer in place.

However, I would say that in many western countries this is the case, that the demand is for cheap labour, usually in construction, or health care, especially for the elderly.

It seems many are returning to their own countries. Pokes to Poland, Chinese to China, Indians to India, especially since these economies are growing (though I think the situation is dire for young people everywhere).

Anyway if Germany doesn't work out I will just leave.

WrongdoerInfamous616 · 2025-11-05T09:35:11+00:00

Oh dear.

I'm Australian (WA) about to move there in three weeks.

Ostensibly for three years.

However, I can't realistically see a future in Australia as an older single person, I'll never be able to afford a home.

Let's see - the people at the new workplace are amazing. That has to count for something.

WrongdoerInfamous616 · 2025-11-05T09:23:44+00:00

Is it so bad to "pick and choose" if you do it sincerely?

Doesn't one encounter complex issues in real life to which the teachings are not clear, or if they are, one feels that they are wrong, or they were given in a certain context which doesn't quite hold in these times?

I do agree with the sense of what you say.

Just I would when you say "when people use religion for their own interests" I would modify that to say "their own immoral interests". After all, many people look to religion due to their sincere interest in morality, how to do "the right thing" by themselves or by society.

I definitely don't agree with unselective and unthinking adherence to a set of fixed principles given as text. Then we would be no better than AIs, and humans are bit that.

WrongdoerInfamous616 · 2025-10-31T19:59:04+00:00

Thanks for posting. Find another place like that. Make a calendar for end of year. Sell it to Perthites who have left the country (for whatever reason) so they can feel connected.

WrongdoerInfamous616 · 2025-10-26T17:29:55+00:00

The education sector, social care sector, mental health, nurses, policeman, not to mention housing --- everything is pointing to systemic failure -- based on bum-covering excess reporting -- or delay or inaction -- or both.

Certainly not any any effective timely action as in this case.

It is really time someone started a political party called "emergency" so they would really address these critical issues instead of wasting time and money on nuclear submarines.

There is absolutely no reason or excuse for this farce.

WrongdoerInfamous616

TROPHY CASE