Budget asks and existential dread

Feeling a bit like Tweek from the 2016 South Park where President Garrison is threatening North Korea and cupcakes don’t solve the problem but I’m here making cupcakes (or muffins or whatever I throw together) feeding myself, feeding others and just trying to get through the days and weeks.

So, the Treasurer says the budget isn’t finalised, while preparing the ground for cuts to the NDIS, while disabled people just want to be supported to live. We want access to pensions that cover the rent and health care and food. We want governments and financiers to stop with the narrative of rorts, and perhaps approve the supports we know we need and know would make disabled lives worth living. We want some certainty.

We want fairer taxation. We want you to spend money housing people rather than allowing people to build their “wealth” and property portfolios while tent and caravan cities pop up.

 

I want aged and disabled care plans determined by qualified people, not an algorithm. I want the NDIS to stop fighting people who are just trying to survive. I want to know that my mother will be able to go back home after her stroke and get more than maybe one shower a week. I want to know that while I’m probably going to be my mother’s main carer, I’ll have support and equipment and extra paid supports as needed to make that a sustainable an safe undertaking for us all.

I want us to not suck up to genocidal presidents. I want to stop reading that it’s been x hours since a ceasefire started in an article about a town being bombed in Southern Lebanon.

I want a lot. Or not very much if you look at it as just wanting a rich country to support its people to live happy, healthy and dignified lives. That involves housing and welfare for all, adequate and safe disability and aged care. That involves being able to go to the GP when I need to and afford the medications I need to sustain my mental health.

I’m very much still running day by day. There’s equipment trials and a family meeting for mum on Friday. There’s helping my sister out so she can take care of her own mental health beyond what the NDIS will support her and her kids to. There’s walks with my dog and dinner and snuggles with my partner to sustain me. There’s a new Hello Kitty Island Adventure expansion pack and a mochi cafe to run. It’s about balance.

screenshot from hello kitty island aventure of a mochi cafe, a lilac cat and a ragdoll bunny

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It’s just a lot

It’s just a lot.

The change in seasons, times. Everything going on in the world, existential dread, needing to keep going with everything in the meantime, needing to keep daily habits.

Taking meds, making and eating meals. Looking out for others. Looking out for myself. Trying not to take on what’s not mine to stress about. At least not too much.

Hit a few walls lately. Trying to reset by going back to having meal kits delivered, by making sure my meds are sorted. Making sure I go to next week’s GP appointment for the next repeats.

Keeping on top of the car. Shuddering at petrol prices but keeping calm and carrying on. Being grateful for small wins, like when the carpark guy puts my parking through as free instead of $6.80, or when my favourite little treats are on special.

 

Sleeping. Taking the dog out. Those sorts of things.

It’s just a lot.

We are saved we have banana muffins

I rarely make cakes or banana bread, and generally make muffins since they’re easier to judge if they’re cooked, already portioned and yeah, just easier.

Today I made Banana Muffins since I got a lot of bananas free yesterday. I was going to put some coconut in, but I couldn’t find a hammer, so that can wait for another time.

Banana muffins with red and white cases in the tray on a lemon print drying mat

I didn’t really use a recipe or fixed portions, but they have 3 bananas, 1.5 cups of sifted SR flour, some melted butter, 2 eggs, some brown sugar, cinnamon and some vanilla essence. Cooked for 20 mins @ 160 Fan forced.

Petrol bowser

Still going three times a week to support mum at the rehab hospital. Brought Maxi in again on the weekend to cheer people up, which is seemed to do. Petrol is crazy, isn’t it? Saw the first 91 for 264.9 today on the app! Just waiting for the diesel to tick over $3, have also seen a few stations around with only one kind of petrol left on sale and all the other numbers blacked out.

Last Thursday I was anxiously watching the petrol prices go up in Morisset as I was preparing to take my stepson to his Employment Plus appointment – that they cancelled just before we were about to leave.

πŸ’œ phonakins πŸ‰πŸŒ² (@phonakins.com) 2026-03-23T20:21:59.993Z

 

When all you have is a hammer…

the unemployment will continue until morale improves

Antipoverty Centre (@antipovertycentre.org) 2026-03-17T03:52:52.112Z

Obviously not an economist, but I can’t see how pushing up the amount people with home loans have to allocate to that, while petrol is also up, isn’t just gonna lead to a severe drop in spending. Food prices and prices on other goods are also still going to keep going up due to increased transport costs, and everyone’s going to suffer. And I feel like that’s gonna lead to recession in the precious little economy? But again, not an economist, just someone surviving the cost of living crisis with a hotch potch of strategies.

AbstractThis report examines how Australia's care infrastructures, encompassing welfare, housing, food, and community support systems, are fraying and increasingly failing to meet the basic needs of those on low- or no- income. Drawing on in-depth interviews with people reliant on JobSeeker and the Disability Support Pension as well as people seeking asylum without access to income support in Central Western Sydney, the report documents the labour-intensive and precarious work required to piece together fragmented supports amid a worsenining cost-of-living crisis. It also includes the perspectives of frontline support workers and reveals how inadequate income support, unaffordable housing, and overstretched community services compound hardship and erode wellbeing, leaving individuals and organisations "holding on by a thread." Yet, the findings also highlight the creativity and mutual care that sustain life in these conditions, but that sometimes put people at risk. The report concludes that meaningful reform requires raising income support to a liveable rate, addressing housing affordability and supply, and properly resourcing community organisations to shift from crisis management to supporting people to live flourishing lives.
Surviving in a Cost-of-Living Crisis: Australia’s Fraying Care Infrastructures

It was a 5-4 decision apparently.

Free breads and stuff from the foodbank
Free carbs from the food bank

My main cost of living strategy is living off free hot cross buns of varying flavours. Good thing I’m not diabetic, only fat. Apparently the free quiches I have stashed in the freezer were also good, and I used the Latina pasta I had in there for a good few months finally last night and it went down well too.

So, the RBA is choosing to add more people to the unemployment queue. Pawns in their little game of economics. Pawns that will suffer, but whether that continues to be quietly since they’re too busy surviving, remains to be seen.

“Indexation” day this Friday, I’ll be seeing $20.50 “extra” go into my account on pension days from later next month, but it won’t stay there long. Watched the Margaritaville ep of South Park again last night from 2009, and it’s feeling like it’s going to be relevant again soon.

Indexation is not an increase, especially if we’re looking at petrol and other hikes due to war

Indexation amounts were released last week, and I’ll personally be getting $10.25 more a week in my DSP and rent assistance. See all the details in the tables here.

Social Security Payment Parameters20 March 2026 indexation Rates Pension Rates Pension β€” Single β€” Resident Component (per fortnight) Previous Amount 20 Mar 2026 Increase Basic Rate $1,079.70 $1,100.30 $20.60 Pension Supplement $84.90 $86.50 $1.60 Energy Supplement $14.10 $14.10 - Typical Total Rate $1,178.70 $1,200.90 $22.20 Note: also includes illness separated, respite care or partner in gaol. Pension β€” Partnered (each) β€” Resident Component (per fortnight) Previous Amount 20 Mar 2026 Increase Basic Rate $813.90 $829.40 $15.50 Pension Supplement $64.00 $65.20 $1.20 Energy Supplement $10.60 $10.60 - Typical Total Rate $888.50 $905.20 $16.70
Pensions from March 20
Commonwealth Rent AssistanceCommonwealth Rent Assistance β€” SSAct β€” Maximum rates Family situation (per fortnight) Previous Amount 20 Mar 2026 Increase Single $215.40 $219.40 $4.00 Single β€” Sharer $143.60 $146.27 $2.67 Partnered β€” Illness separated $215.40 $219.40 $4.00 Partnered β€” Temporarily separated $203.00 $206.80 $3.80 Couple $203.00 $206.80 $3.80 Commonwealth Rent Assistance β€” SSAct β€” Rent thresholds Family situation (per fortnight) Previous Amount 20 Mar 2026 Increase Single $152.00 $154.80 $2.80 Single β€” Sharer $152.00 $154.80 $2.80 Partnered β€” Illness separated $152.00 $154.80 $2.80 Partnered β€” Temporarily separated $152.00 $154.80 $2.80 Couple $246.20 $250.80 $4.60
Rent assistance amounts from March 20

As always, they start accumulating from March 20, so no one sees the full increase pain into their account until at least April, and not til mid-April for some. Standard single JobSeeker is getting a $15.10 a fortnight “boost” (*voms*) as the gov and media love to call it. $7.55 a week isn’t exactly a powerup.

Jobseeker Payment RatesNote: some of the following rates may apply to Special Benefit recipients. JobSeeker Payment β€” Single β€” No dependent children Component (per fortnight) Previous Amount 20 Mar 2026 Increase Basic Rate $793.60 $808.70 $15.10 Energy Supplement $8.80 $8.80 - Typical Total Rate $802.40 $817.50 $15.10 JobSeeker Payment β€” Single β€” With dependent children Component (per fortnight) Previous Amount 20 Mar 2026 Increase Basic Rate $849.90 $866.00 $16.10 Energy Supplement $9.50 $9.50 - Typical Total Rate $859.40 $875.50 $16.10 JobSeeker Payment β€” Single β€” Principal carer of a dependent child Component (per fortnight) Previous Amount 20 Mar 2026 Increase Basic Rate $849.90 $866.00 $16.10 Energy Supplement $9.50 $9.50 - Pharmaceutical Allowance $7.00 $7.00 - Typical Total Rate $866.40 $882.50 $16.10
Jobseeker rates from March 20

Of course, the ACCC had been “asked” to keep an eye on fuel prices, but that’s just about all they’ll do – watch. I can do that too. Which is why when taking the recycling this morning we went to the lil servo and garage at Mirabooka for fuel. I handed them the $50 note Dad had given me and the 5c coin from my Gudetama coin purse and topped it up.

They say we might see an interest rate rise because of the extra inflation of fuel costs and the impact that will have on food and transport costs. I’m sure that in itself will put brakes on already stretched waged-households spending, but sure throw an interest rate hike on top. Gotta play the numbers.

Nearly paid off the power bill, then it’s rego for the Corolla next month. OurΒ  household spending is certainly not all that wild. but as long as Maxi has food and treats we’re going fine.