Couple say they ‘won’t survive’ as JobSeeker payments slashed

#Richard #Lawrence was #Chief #Executive #Officer at a not-for-profit company in the medical field before losing his job due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

#He has since applied for 136 jobs, without success.

“#What we are facing with the new withdrawal of funding is a time when we are really going to struggle to move from one bill to the next,” she said.

“#Eventually (we will) have to face the reality that those bills are just going to become too much for us.

“#It just takes one expense, like a new pair of glasses, and your whole budget is blown.”

Their payments will fall from $760.80 per per person per fortnight to $660.80 per person per fortnight – an amount which #Mr #Lawrence points out is less than the aged pension.

#Mr #Lawrence described the job hunting process as disheartening.

“#To begin with you come out with a sort of confidence (and think) I’ll get my next job reasonably quickly, then three months down the track you realise it’s not happening quite as quickly as you thought it would,” he said.

“#By the time you get to five months you realise it’s time to go on the dole.”

#He said he is not “precious” when it comes to searching for work, but it is difficult to secure the right role.

“There is workaround, I’m not saying there’s not, but my skill set is quite specific, so to find the right job in the right area is tough,” he said.

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