Centrelink couple are called out for their lifestyle while receiving governments benefits

A family living off Centrelink payments drew criticism as they describe their struggles to stay afloat – after viewers wondered why neither parent has worked full-time in five years.

Jennifer Searson and Mark Goodrick live in Queensland’s Sunshine Coast with their 15-year-old daughter.

Mrs. Searson, a lab technician with degrees in educational support and business administration, pays for a caregiver for her daughter who has autism.

The maximum base rate every two weeks for a carer payment is $971.50 according to Services Australia.

Mr. Goodrick, a qualified chef, casually works at a gas station and earns about $1,300 every two weeks.

In addition, he gets $250 from Centrelink, bringing his biweekly salary to nearly $1,600.

Mr Goodrick seemed to admit that he preferred to work casually to receive Centrelink payments.

‘So what should I do? Am I doing the right thing about not being a supposed dole bludger and working five days a week for $850, or am I working the hours I work and getting that little extra?” Mr Goodrick told ABC’s 7:30 program.

“I don’t actually have the energy to say ‘hey, I’m going to work 60 hours a week” so we had to make a decision, but it’s not supported, you’re seen as someone who is bluffing or taking advantage of the system .’

The couple spoke about their struggles to put food on the table and argued that income support for Australians should be increased.

But many viewers disagreed that the couple has two cars, their daughter appears to attend a private Christian school, they spend about $350 a week on groceries, and seem to have no plans to get full-time work.

“We’re poor and we’re on low incomes,” Goodrick said.

Neither he nor his wife have worked full-time since moving from Sydney to the Sunshine Coast in 2018, which they did in search of a more affordable life.

“There’s been an increase in calls from people on income support, especially JobSeeker, dole bludgers,” Ms. Searson said.

“Anyone can get into this situation.”

Mr Goodrick said he and his wife were both ‘hard working’ but many companies are not looking for them due to their age.

Ms. Searson said she’s applied online three times this year for a part-time job at Big W but hasn’t heard back yet.

The clip was shared on the programme’s Twitter account and was inundated with comments from many who questioned whether the pair were an accurate portrayal of struggling Aussies.

“These people don’t have it nearly as hard as many people I know. Sure, they are fighters, but there are many single-parent families, so in times of financial hardship like this, the father may choose to temporarily sacrifice full-time work with a long commute,” one person said.

“I saw this and I thought this family actually seems to be doing well. Does well-being look like this?’ wondered another.

“Eating $350 a week for three people seems excessive!” said another.

“There are plenty of people on Jobseeker who are in terribly desperate situations, on the brink of poverty, that you could have shown in this story… This family is not in that situation. Mind boggling why you chose them,” one tweet read.

‘This is not a real necessity. These are two people of working age who decide to work less and seek taxpayer money to supplement their lifestyle. You can’t refuse to work full time just because you get the difference from the state coffers,” another viewer wrote.

‘Two cars. Choose not to work. An insult to people who are really having a hard time on JobSeeker,” someone said.

The ABC has been contacted for comment.

That’s what the couple wrote in an opinion piece The protector last year that ‘survival is a daily challenge’.

“We are desperate that the poverty we have already lived in and a poverty mentality will damage our child,” they said.

They described how difficult it was to find discounted fruits and vegetables at the grocery store or bread to make a sandwich for their daughter at school.

“My mental health suffers when my mind is consumed with making these daily vital survival decisions. How can I be expected to write job applications and present myself in a positive light to potential employers?’ read the piece.

The couple said their physical health has suffered, with dental checkups not affordable in their budget.

Despite the rhetoric, no one is consciously making a ‘lifestyle choice’ to live on JobSeeker. It only takes one unexpected circumstance to be in my shoes,” they said.