Worry

Just found out while reporting to Centrelink my jobsearching and 'income' for the past fortnight that my unemployment payments have been suspended. It seems I missed an appointment two weeks ago, which I must have forgotten to mark on my calendar. :-/

This is frustrating. The only notification I got was a pdf on their website after logging in, no phone call or letter. I suppose they don't have to... I opted out of online notifications the first time, last year, but they opted me back in a few weeks later.

These meetings are literally 5-10 minute affairs, in which I am asked if I am looking for work, I say I am, then we make another appointment. My theory is these six-weekly interviews were instituted when, after shunting as many people as possible to online fortnightly reporting, Centrelink realised it had a lot of appointment staff now doing nothing and added another layer of reporting.

Ah well. Will have to call them tomorrow and ask what manner of supplication I must make to have an income again. Hopefully it won't be too onerous; I have a lot of plans which involve having an income, such as paying off university debt. Being free of those hoops to prove I am a 'good unemployed person' would be a relief, but I doubt it would coincide with a sudden offer of employment, so however bothersome it is I need to convince Centrelink to put me back on the list of worthy persons.