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kristin (she/her)

@kristin8x.antipovertycentre.org

2.1K followers 300 following 650 posts

“What would become of the rich if not for the poor?” – Emma Goldman 💚 Neurologically outnumbered; yelling about social policy on bluesky via @antipovertycentre.org #PayTheRent #LandBack

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kristin (she/her) @kristin8x.antipovertycentre.org · Mar 26

This photo they used was taken in the first year of the Albanese government, during Anti-Poverty Week, as part of a protest that resulted in Amanda Rishworth calling us "violent" for sticking posters up outside her office with messages about what it is like to live in poverty.

Antipoverty Centre @antipovertycentre.org · Mar 26

“Everything is affordable when politicians want to do it… it’s really frustrating that they continue to pretend this is an us problem, not a them problem.”

@kristin8x.antipovertycentre.org on the fourth Chalmers budget and how the welfare system holds us back. www.abc.net.au/listen/progr...

Budget delivers little relief for poorest Australians - ABC listen

The federal budget may have centred around cost-of-living relief, but social services advocates fear not enough has been done to help Australia's most vulnerable. Though indexation saw a rise for Cen...

www.abc.net.au

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Reposted by kristin (she/her)

Antipoverty Centre @antipovertycentre.org · 7h

Thanks @amyremeikis.bsky.social for being the only person in media to remember what the Deloitte report that used AI is about – that they couldn't provide the government with anything to say their system of welfare punishment is operating lawfully.

Payment suspensions MUST stop.

Nobody Deserves Poverty @nobodyinpoverty.bsky.social · 8h

Hundreds of thousands of welfare recipients lose access to payments every year, and Labor have said they can’t even say if it’s lawful. - @pennyallmanpayne.com

To quote @amyremeikis.bsky.social - SIIIGGGGHHHHHH

live.australiainstitute.org.au/2025/10/aust...

39 minutes ago 11.48 AEDT

SIIIGGGGHHHHHH
Thee has been a lot of reporting on the Deloitte report which was found to have used AI and most of the reporting has focused on that, rather than what the report was actually about.

Which was the Targeted Compliance Framework. You probably know that as mutual obligations. The report was about the issues with the automated system being used to cancel people’s welfare payments. You may remember from episodes such as ROBODEBT and EVERY SINGLE PERSON WHO HAS CONTACT WITH THIS SYSTEM TELLING YOU, that this is illegal and this has the potential to cause some pretty major problems for the government. And right now, it is causing major problems for people who are being made to fulfil demands from an illegal and immoral system just to have their below-poverty-line payments reinstated/continue.

That’s a pretty major problem, Australia. And not a new one. The only people benefiting from Australia’s mutual obligation program are the owners of job provider agencies who are paid billions of dollars to set menial and often degrading ‘duties’ for jobseekers to meet so they can maybe continue to pay their rent that week.

So not only is the consulting firm which was paid to do a report into the issues with an automated system which is causing immense harm to jobseekers and returned a report riddled with errors because it used automation to complete that report still getting paid, the government is yet to address the substance of the report.

Greens senator Penny Allman-Payne said

Hundreds of thousands of welfare recipients lose access to payments every year, and Labor have said they can’t even say if it’s lawful.”

These payments can be the difference between food on the table or going hungry. If Labor can’t defend the system they should end the TCF and stop suspending payments immediately.”

Under questioning in senate estimates from Greens senators, Murray Watt has agreed that Deloitte should apologise.

Great.

Let’s see whether the government apologises for keeping mutual obligations and welfare suspensions in place at the later session of estimates which will deal with social services.

Bluesky

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kristin (she/her) @kristin8x.antipovertycentre.org · 5h

Things that have been missed in the conversation about unlawful administration of compulsory activities (so-called mutual obligations) include...

People do be wondering, what would Labor do if they were in charge during robodebt? And the answer is, you're looking at it.

Antipoverty Centre @antipovertycentre.org · 6h

Allman-Payne quotes a DEWR director referred to as MR15 in the Deloitte report who says: "The TCF is a process that wasn’t designed with fairness in mind… If the function of the TCF is to penalise people, then it’s fulfilling its role, but that’s not the intention of a fair system."

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Antipoverty Centre @antipovertycentre.org · Aug 20

"The government has already provisioned for harm in its contracts... The Workforce Australia Services Deed requires providers to carry insurance for bodily injury, mental illness & death. This is not a system designed to prevent harm,"

Thank you @zoewundenberg.bsky.social for reporting.

Australians pride themselves on fairness, but our welfare system is anything but just

This is not a system designed to prevent harm.

www.canberratimes.com.au

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Reposted by kristin (she/her)

El Gibbs @bluntshovels.bsky.social · Aug 20

returning NDIS to its purpose and making it sustainable are what Butler says are the two key issues #NPC

[translation = cuts]

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Reposted by kristin (she/her)

Nobody Deserves Poverty @nobodyinpoverty.bsky.social · Aug 11

The @antipovertycentre.org's @kristin8x.antipovertycentre.org on The Briefing from 3min on how some of our most vulnerable are being unfairly targeted by a broken system that is allegedly being exploited by some operators, costing taxpayers billions of dollars

play.listnr.com/podcast/the-...

The $4b system punishing the vulnerable + New Prince Andrew allegations

It’s the government rort ripping off millions of Australians that could be the next Robodebt disaster. We explain how a broken government payment system is seeing job and support payments cut off or c...

play.listnr.com

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Reposted by kristin (she/her)

Molly Shah @mommunism.bsky.social · Aug 8

I had a friend deliver in Gaza deliver Taqwa formula a little while ago- but it is now available in markets and I would like her to get some so this sweet baby can eat. If you want to know Taqwa’s whole story you should click on her link but it will break your heart

Taqwa khaled @taqwasuh.bsky.social · Aug 4

Hunger is killing us slowly💔

Even my little baby💔💔

The lack of milk forced me to reduce the number of his feedings
to make the can last a little longer

He cries from hunger and I cry from helplessness😭

Please don’t stop helping us You are our last chance for survival🙏🏻
gofund.me/b4901a75

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Reposted by kristin (she/her)

The White Rose Society (Australia) @whiterosesociety.bsky.social · Aug 6

We've put together our top tips for journalists to help guide you through the do's and don'ts of reporting on neo-Nazis.

Please share it with your colleagues, and feel free to get in touch with us with any feedback.

thewhiterosesociety.writeas.com/9-principles...

9 Principles for Journalists Reporting On Neo-Nazis

You may have landed here because you want to talk about neo-Nazis without helping them. Excellent. You have an important role in combatt...

thewhiterosesociety.writeas.com

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Reposted by kristin (she/her)

DonationWatch @donation.watch · Aug 8

Thanks to a hint from @kristin8x.antipovertycentre.org , we've added a first iteration for the "Detailed Receipts" dataset from the AEC.

In total we're tracking +A$892M for #Australia now.

Note: This adds some donations with only the year as the date. These aren't shown in timeseries charts yet.

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kristin (she/her) @kristin8x.antipovertycentre.org · Aug 8

😮

Reposted by kristin (she/her)

Middle East Eye (Unofficial) @middleeasteye-rss.bsky.social · Aug 8

Norway's wealth fund to announce measures on Israeli investments next week - https://www.middleeasteye.net/live-blog/live-blog-update/norway-wealth-fund-announce-measures-israeli-investments-next-week

Norway's wealth fund to announce measures on Israeli investments next week

<article data-history-node-id="426898" about="https://www.middleeasteye.net/live-blog/live-blog-update/norway-wealth-fund-announce-measures-israeli-investments-next-week" class="live-blog-update default clearfix"> <h2> <a href="https://www.middleeasteye.net/live-blog/live-blog-update/norway-wealth-fund-announce-measures-israeli-investments-next-week" rel="bookmark"> <span class="field field-title">Norway's wealth fund to announce measures on Israeli investments next week</span> </a> </h2> <div class="content"> <div class="field field-field-text"><p>Norway's $2 trillion sovereign wealth fund will next week announce changes to how it handles its Israeli investments, Finance Minister Jens Stoltenberg said on Friday, ruling out any blanket withdrawal over Israel's war on Gaza.</p> <p>The government on Tuesday said that it had launched an urgent review of the fund's investments over ethical concerns linked to the war on Gaza and the Israeli occupation of the West Bank.</p> <p>"I see several measures over time, but what can be addressed quickly, must be done quickly," Stoltenberg told a press conference after holding his second meeting with fund officials in three days.</p> <p>He did not specify what the measures might involve, but said there would not be a wholesale divestment from all Israeli companies. "If we did that, it would mean we are divesting from them because they are Israeli," he said.</p> <p>The review followed local news reports that the fund had built a stake in Israeli jet engine manufacturer Bet Shemesh Engines Ltd (BSEL), which provides services to Israel's armed forces, including the maintenance of fighter jets. The revelation has sparked political debate in the Nordic country ahead of elections on 8 September.</p> </div> </div> </article>

www.middleeasteye.net

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Molly Shah @mommunism.bsky.social · Aug 7

Wish Mohammed a happy birthday ❤️

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Reposted by kristin (she/her)

Bin Chicken @binchicken9000.bsky.social · Aug 7

"At the end of the day, if you're going to have adults being infantilised by a set of rules that give one person such power over another, you're always going to have perverse outcomes."

This will be true as long as 'Job Search Providers' can suspend payments. It's Dole Parole, not a job service.

Nobody Deserves Poverty @nobodyinpoverty.bsky.social · Aug 7

More on the Ombudsman's report and recommendations including the unfair power imbalance between "The Department", its employees and delegates and welfare recipients living below the poverty line from @kristin8x.antipovertycentre.org from @antipovertycentre.org on ABC

www.abc.net.au/listen/progr...

Drive - ABC listen

The lively debate and stories that have shaped Canberra today.

www.abc.net.au

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Reposted by kristin (she/her)

Machinator68 ⚙ bsky.social @machinator68.bsky.social · Aug 4

Unemployed and underemployed workers have been systemically excluded from policy discussions that concern them. No policies developed by such exclusion have any legitimacy.

This exclusion needs to end. Nothing about us without us.

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kristin (she/her) @kristin8x.antipovertycentre.org · Aug 4

Yeah I looked at Russo on the site and it was interesting cos when I analysed the AEC data a few years ago I got $600k in donations up to 2023: punishmentforprofit.org/provider/pro...

Must be different entity names but I don't have time to go and dig up my spreadsheets with the raw data right now 🙃

Profile: Sarina Russo Job Access

Provider profile Sarina Russo Job Access ★★★★★ Download profile Like most providers, Sarina Russo Job Access refers people from their employment services caseload to ...

punishmentforprofit.org

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Antipoverty Centre @antipovertycentre.org · Aug 4

The list of providers in the new disability employment service that starts on 1 November is now public. Our old fave APM scored contracts in every state & territory despite their notorious reputation!

Who needs a good reputation with a former ALP Premier on your board and... (thx @donation.watch)

Screencap of APM page on the DonationWatch website. APM has made $822,000 in political donations since 2104. $456,000 was donated to Labor and $365,000 was donated to the Coalition parties.

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kristin (she/her) @kristin8x.antipovertycentre.org · Aug 4

Police cars blocking the march from what? Why, the US consulate building of course.

Joanne @jkvw.bsky.social · Aug 4

We were lucky to walk all the way across until we got to police cars blocking the way further. We were told we had to go back but there was no way we were making it thru the mass of people. Ended up jumping over to the bridge walkway to walk to nth sydney 😬

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Fiona Katauskas @fionakatauskas.bsky.social · Aug 4

I got there bang on 1pm but was in a part of the march next to Wynyard on York st that never got to move at all. Still, people were calm, positive and cooperative, sharing umbrellas when started to pour.
I couldn't see far ahead so thought there might be around 5-10,000 people. Ha!

kristin (she/her) @kristin8x.antipovertycentre.org · Aug 3

this is the march to get to the #MarchForHumanity 🇵🇸

we don’t need to cops to close down the streets when we turn out like this

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kristin (she/her) @kristin8x.antipovertycentre.org · Aug 4

Anyway turns out the reason is they didn't want the march to make it to its destination, which was the US consulate. And clearly they couldn't think up a good enough excuse to stop us.

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kristin (she/her) @kristin8x.antipovertycentre.org · Aug 4

For one thing, getting people from all over the Greater Sydney area to North Sydney by 1pm is much harder than getting us to the CBD by that time.

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kristin (she/her) @kristin8x.antipovertycentre.org · Aug 3

paid for with the proceeds from the bomb bay doors?

John Lewis @johnnol1.bsky.social · Aug 3

Aus pledges more aid after largest-ever Gaza protest

www.thenewdaily.com.au/news/nationa...

Aus pledges more aid after unprecedented Gaza protest

Australia has pledged an extra $20 million in humanitarian assistance for women and children in Gaza after a massive Sydney protest.

www.thenewdaily.com.au

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WildlyManifest 埜為 @wildlymanifest.bsky.social · Aug 3

They did their best to endanger public safety by turning marchers back after crossing the bridge, while masses were still moving in the opposite direction. Then when we got back to Wynyard, the station was shut. “Feared the worse” my arse they were out to make trouble.

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kristin (she/her) @kristin8x.antipovertycentre.org · Aug 3

wow what a relief they fixed the “problem” of people not wanting to make their living from war and misery

ABC News Bot (unofficial) @abcnewsbot.bsky.social · Aug 3

Targeted advertising on social media and in online games has helped deliver a boost to Australian Defence Force recruitment, offsetting a perennial problem of declining service rates.

TikTok and online games deliver military recruitment surge

Targeted advertising on social media and in online games has helped deliver a boost to Australian Defence Force recruitment, offsetting a perennial problem of declining service rates.

www.abc.net.au

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News Eye @newseye.bsky.social · Aug 3

NEW: 90,000 people protesting against the genocide in Gaza have shut down Sydney Harbour Bridge.

🇦🇺👏

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Ian M. Mackay, PhD (he/him) 🦠🤧🧬📑🦟🧀 @mackayim.bsky.social · Aug 3

I'm looking forward to hearing where this "crowd crush" thing came from. Presumably this isn't an issue at concerts, NY fireworks, bridge & tunnel openings, boxing day sales, rush hour...I'm missing something profound about this particular "perilous" situation
www.abc.net.au/news/2025-08...

Live: Sydney Harbour Bridge reopens after 90,000 march in pro-Palestinian rally

Protesters in Sydney and Melbourne have marched in support of Palestinians in Gaza, with the Sydney Harbour Bridge closed to traffic as an estimated 100,000 people walked across. Follow live.

www.abc.net.au

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