Recovery Resources Encyclopaedia Light (RREL)

Dear Minister Rishworth and Staff,

I am writting to you as an advocate for disabilities (as I also have disabilities).

It is an urgent priority to raise Jobseeker. Many people on Jobseeker for extended periods of time have diagnosed or undiagnosed disabilities that create additional barriers to getting work.

In my case I was on the then named Newstart for 11 years. At the time my autism was undiagnosed and my bipolar would make me episodically unable to get out of bed yet alone work.

Living on Newstart meant living with my parents. Athough they are kind and generous people (who also have disabilities) it was a financial burden caring for an adult daughter who could not contribute to household bills and expenses. Although they never complained I felt like a burden.

On top of this I also had to deal with Disability Employment Services that not only did not help me get employment, but contributed to relapses in my bipolar because they had no training working with peoople who have psychosocial disabilities. It is my personal opinon that they need closing down and investigating for malpractice and breaching dury of care to their clients.

I am well aware that my story is but one expetience. I know many stories within my communities that are much more heartbreaking. My story has a happy ending because in 2013 I got Disability Support Pension which changed my life But I can give you full premission to use my story as a case study.

I hope you and your co-workers at a federal level will take what i say to heart when assessing the the priority of rasing Jobserker.

No one deserves to live in poverty. It is also true that raising Jobseeker will inject much needed economic stimulus into poor and working class communities.

Thank you for reading my letter and I look forward to hearing from you as soon as posdible regarding this urgent matter.

Yours Faithfully
Kristy Mounsey