Perth’s sweltering heat had already claimed a string of days above 30C when 27-year-old Phoebe Autumn ventured out to Centrelink for an appointment. As a jobseeker, she knew that missing the meeting would result in her payments being cut off. Travelling home from the appointment, she just missed the bus and stood for 30 minutes in the blistering sun, which had reached a scorching 34C at the end of a prolonged heatwave. The long return journey in the oppressive temperatures took a toll on her, leaving her with heatstroke.
“I got sunburnt. I had aches and pains in my wrists and elbows for the next couple of days. I was messed up,” Autumn recalled, reliving the ordeal. The preceding days had been equally unforgiving, with temperatures soaring to 37.4C the day before and 35.4C the day before that.
The incident highlights the cruel irony of Centrelink’s mutual obligation requirements, which demand jobseekers attend interviews, take courses, or work for the dole during extreme heatwaves. Any failure to comply would result in payments being suspended. Welfare advocates are now urging Centrelink to suspend these requirements during periods of extreme heat, just as they would during bushfires, floods, or health crises.
Severe and extreme heatwaves have claimed more lives in Australia than any other natural hazard, with the Australian Red Cross warning people to develop a heatwave plan before summer’s peak. The Department of Employment and Workplace Relations has never paused mutual obligations due to heat, citing advice from the Bureau of Meteorology.
Australia HeatwaveHowever, experts argue that the government can easily suspend these requirements during extreme heat. “You wouldn’t force someone to work in extreme heat, so why are we expecting those on payments to endanger themselves to tick a box? It’s just punishment at every turn with this system,” said Jay Coonan, who works in policy development and research for the Anti-poverty Centre.
Emma Bacon, chief executive of Sweltering Cities, emphasized that thousands of people would be forced to leave their homes and attend meetings and courses that could easily be put on hold. This year has already seen heatwaves in Western Sydney, Broome, parts of South Australia, and far north Queensland – making it the hottest on record.
Centrelink jobseeker payments have been suspended over 450,000 times in the past three months, according to official figures. As the government deliberates, welfare advocates are urging them to reconsider the impact of their policies on vulnerable individuals.