Friday Update 2 February 2018

Hi there @ShazS I have written to my local federal and local member about the same issues and you would of read my post on not being able to access super as breast cancer is considered life threatening but unless you are considered terminal there is no help. As you know our situation was I thought I had income protection thisis at the tribunal now) but didn’t hubby kept working to help keep our heads above water (barely) and unless you are on a Centrelink benefit for a minimum of 26 weeks you are not considered to be in financial hardship and can’t access your super to pay your bills And we couldn’t get anything from Centrelink as the threshold is less than the minimum wage and the average working family earns more than that and If my husband gave up work we would of only be entitled to Newstart each and that is pitiful and we would of lost our home believe me we are just working class don’t have fancy or expensive cars or home but if you have worked your whole life and paid tax you don’t get any help from the govt. and also to claim your super to pay your mortgage you must be in a position where the bank is about to take your home which destroys your credit rating and have no money left in the bank and have exhausted all options to pay it. So if you have no money left in the bank as you’ve had to try and live off it as you are on one wage how are you supposed to pay anything let alone your mortgage. I couldn’t access super on medical grounds either as my treatment was available in the public system or compassionate grounds as I wasn’t terminal (im grateful for that) but I’ve heard recently patients where I work accessing their surgery for lap band surgery and one even has access for her breast augmentation (cosmetic reasons only) so Im fucked if I know why they can access it for that and we have to live off the skin of your arse hey. Then There was the guy who claimed his super for financial hardship (he was on a benefit as a student for the min 26 weeks required) and got to use it for surgery for his dog!! I can’t access it for my breast reconstruction either as that’s available through the public system as well despite the fact that in qld the wait times are minimum 3 to 5 years. I’ve been a category 2 (3 to 6 month wait supposedly) for 20 months and I won’t see a surgeon for at least another 6 months then at least another 18 months to 2 years for surgery but they just say it’s govt policy and that’s why you can’t access it. When I wrote to the MPs I suggested access to a temporary DSP for bc survivors and then for it to reviewed for long term if needed, amongst other things  or access to a interest free loan like one is available to apprentices to use as they wish (they get 20k) can you imagine how much that would help bc survivors or anyone with a life threatening illness and their families!! So I’m still advocating for these suggestions and am in regular contact with my federal MP too. Margie xx