Buses cut, & being unemployed

This morning’s Sydney Morning Herald (SMH) ran a story about the cut back of bus services in the popular eastern suburbs such as Marrickville, Maroubra and Clovelly.

Apparently Sydneysiders have been embracing public transport since our fuel prices have begun to rise to over $1.45 per litre (regular unleaded).

According to the SMH, 50 services per week have been cut from the Maroubra – City route 376. Greater numbers have been cut from other routes.

The NSW Opposition spokesman for transport (Barry O’Farrell) said it makes no sense to reduce capacity on the city’s public transport network and it does nothing to encourage people to get out of their cars and use public transport.

But what about the people who don’t even own a car? Most of the people I know living in inner suburban Sydney do not own their own car because there’s always been plenty of cheap public transport.

What do they do now?

Link to SMH

Here’s a depressing story for those of us actively seeking paid employment. I have to say it explains why I feel that the Job Network people I’ve spoken to have never appeared helpful.

Having decided more than 20 years ago to be a full-time mother, I am now paying the penalty for that decision. Over 40, no degree, highly computer literate and with other office skills developed through running a household and overseeing family finances and investments, but no actual piece of paper to PROVE I can do such work. Minimal work history. And no referees. No money and I don’t meet Centrelink’s criteria for welfare payments. The Job Network people asked me didn’t I have some local business people in my social group that I could ask for either a reference or work experience? No, I don’t. Apart from always having desired to live a very quiet life, none of my friends are business people. All of them are either artists or they work in mundane, low-paid jobs or work for the government. And the people at Job Network conceded that my friends weren’t really suitable as referees at all.

It’s very frustrating. Being unemployed.

I feel I am being punished for (a) choosing to be a full-time mother for so many years, and (b) for not pursuing a network of highly placed business people for friends.

I like my quiet life. I like coming home and it just being me or me and my partner. I like only socialising with a few really close friends who I don’t view as “what can they do for me?”.

All I want is a simple office job. Part-time. Where I go to work, do my set tasks, get paid and come home and forget about it until the next working day.