Thank You Letter: Australian Treasury Chalmers Budget Team and contributing ministers

Thank You Letter: Australian Treasury Team, Sen Chalmers, Sen Gallagher, and contributing Ministers

I want to thank you for most aspects of the October 2022 Federal budget. I am terrified for how people on Centrelink payments are going to survive the Christmas Summer though. Especially us in run-down rental housing or are homeless.

Thank you for working out your intentions and objectives in advance.

Thank you for thinking things through. In a thoughtful, considered way. How wonderfully refreshing!

It is a great relief to hear that in Minister Jim Chalmers – the Treasurer’s – Press Club Address.

To Minister Chalmers

I just watched your press club address. I suspect you have been holding your head high when possible – feeling that you did all you could. I can see that. I am glad. That’s the most important thing. To try.

Like not just -I’ve got an idea – lets fund it! Actually thinking things through. Consequences of funding decisions, I’m hoping too. But being thoughtful is better than chaos and neglect of the last ones to people like me, with multiple disabilities and chronic health conditions.

I did just pay my chemist bill of $180 last week, which would have been unthinkable at the start of the year. Ps: Did I meet you at a chemist earlier this year? I was crying and shaking (Agoraphobia and Autistic and getting a vaccination) and said a guy’s bracelets were nice colours.

Um, I’ve digressed.

I don’t know if any of the budget decisions have impacted me, but live in hope. ooh-except my DSP went up with Indexing. I really appreciate that. Noticed that.

Thank you for ‘signalling’ or saying out loud that you are looking at legislative changes for electricity and gas companies – including code/s of conduct and hopefully restrictions against treating even poor people as open wallets.

Ed Husic – dude!

Sen or Min(!) Ed Husic – what you said on RN with Pat Carvalas – you rock. Thank you soo much. Really, really good to hear it said out loud.

And honesty with political will. What an unfortunately-rate gem.

I don’t know if it’s in your long-standing charactor, a blip the Labor Party felt they had to ‘handle’, said ‘in the party line’ or what, but Thank you.

Sen David Pocock – thanks for

Thanks for your public Q&A forums. I am stoked to see another new Independent working and conversing with your co-workers on legislation. Like with Employment Minister Tony Burke and co on the Industrial Relations Bill.

Especially negotiating Govt’s (deliberately through a committee?) working with key community groups and researchers re: Centrelink rates during budgets! I am assuming a comittee is needed since the public service is guttered and replaced with contractors with limited institutional memory. In other words, limited understanding of the history and consequenses of policy making.

Newly Elected and reading research reports!

I saw bits during October or November Senate Estimates – Community Affairs or Social Services – of how you Sen Pocock and other new Senators or Ministers (I’m a bit confused about the titles right now) have been diving into some research reports! What a relief! I mean, they were made to be read! By decision makers!

Heavy responsibility. Glad you politicians are reading those reports. Commission for Children and Young People produced an excellent one in about 2002-2004 about Children and Human Rights. Kept my copy for years. It was really good and inspiring.

Locked up during Budget time?

So my thank yous go to the rest of the team/ people/ Ministers/ Public Servants who worked on the budget. “Locked up” as I’ve heard it described today.

I really hope this hopefully new era (of how the Labor party works) do change the lives of Australians – especially for those of us thrust into poverty.

You know you are trying your best, so sending a virtual high five. Don’t let people you dont respect tell you you are working too hard. People you respect – maybe them though…

You did really well.

Um. I mean, thank you.

Kind regards,

Karletta.

Note: Different tone and in summery

Source prior blog post talking human rights in Australia’s Constitution.

Thank you to those who worked hard in Treasury. For the budget. Or whatever the office(s?) Is called. You missed a spot though.

And a warning call for decency from people milking poor people of every rent etc dollar they can.