Woman living off $50 a week from Centrelink reveals the harsh reality of getting a job as an older Australian

An audience member on Q+A has revealed the harsh reality many middle-aged and older people face when trying to get a job in Australia.

In Monday night’s episode of the program, which focused on the Federal Budget, Charlotte – who described herself as ‘a lady in her 50s’ – exposed the ageism that prevails in the job market.

‘I am finding it very difficult to get employment. No-one wants to employ me, unfortunately, at my age,’ she said.

Charlotte said she’s receiving a Jobseeker payment of $500 a week, which includes  a rental allowance, but her rent alone is $450 a week.

‘So I’m expected to live off $50 a week,’ she said.

‘And I’m not unusual. It is really difficult to find a job out there if you’re a woman over 50.

‘I was advised to change my CV – maybe take 10 or 15 years off.’

However that advice led to a humiliating experience. 

‘I went for this job interview and the gentleman who was doing the interview was horrified when he saw me,’ she said. 

‘It was so obvious.’

Charlotte is studying for a master’s degree in counselling while raising her 18-year-old twins.

‘We have to pool our money in together,’ she said, adding that her ex-husband was ‘very decent’ and helped the family out with their energy bills.

Charlotte’s story followed that of Vanessa, another older woman in the audience, who said there should be more money allocated in the Budget to help people such as her.

Vanessa said she was looking to politicians to ‘actually do the right thing for all older Victorians and Australians as a whole’.

‘I am now the sole bread winner. There’s no way we’re able to afford a house in Australia on our own,’ Vanessa said.

‘What this means is into the future, there’s the big worry hanging on our heads.’

Q+A presenter Patricia Karvelas said she hears ‘these stories a lot and I think journalists hear these stories every day’.

‘Your story actually tells a really important story of people in their older years,’ she said.

‘When we have these conversations about cost of living … we feel like sometimes … we have it in the abstract.

‘But these stories are everywhere, and people like you wait for Budgets or opportunities for genuine change, but it feels like it’s always incremental.’

Treasurer Jim Chalmers will hand down his fourth budget at 7.30pm on Tuesday. 

Daily Mail Australia will provide live coverage and analysis through the night.