Tabaluga's 2.0

@TAB Yes I got jobs gardening at Flinders in mid-1980s. I got a little bit of Austudy money in my first degree and honours year (Austarve I called it).
Then I started a masters part time in 1985 as I didn’t win a scholarship for that year so did odd jobs with my then boyfriend. We covered a whole garden with weed mats once. Then we worked for an odd old couple. The old guy tried chain saw on wire fence and the old woman complained when we pulled out a weed.

The next year I got a scholarship and got promoted to a PhD. The scholarship was generous for those days. Travelled to Cuba and US to do interviews and research. Met one of my future dissertation examiners. (We since published a book together and a few book chapters and are still great friends today).
Finished PhD in 1990. Got an academic job in 1991 but did tutoring while a PhD student and in the year between finishing my PhD and getting a full time job. Also did clerical and research assistant work. I worked at University of Tasmania for one term.

Worked full time for 23 years all together (except for one semester when I was on light duties due to having my first bipolar episode) before I took a redundancy package in December 2013. I had one whole year off on full pay combined research leave and long service leave. I was 52 when I took the package. Knew I was going to get dumped down the track so got out when there was a decent redundancy package available.

Apparently I could have applied for a disability pension 2 years after took package but didn’t know so lived on savings. Last two years before I could claim my super pension I got the dole with a certificate of sickness as I was running out of savings. Then they started harassing me so I told them to stick it where it fit and claimed my super pension. Had to pay tax on it for a couple of years but got most of tax back at tax time.

Only thing I missed about being an academic was the few good students and some fellow academics who were my friends. Still in touch with some students and academics.

What a journey @GezzaP ! Thank you for sharing. It's pretty remarkable to see the different journeys we all travel to get to where we are now. Whilst we can grieve over loss, we can also celebrate the wins.

there are fb threads around re how to get through system @GezzaP why spend your own money ?? I would see specialist advisor and and get on govt payments

@tyme I think I won though I detested some parts of the job.

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@GezzaP wrote:

@tyme I think I won though I detested some parts of the job.

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And THAT's what matters! That you ultimately win @GezzaP

I don’t believe I’m eligible for any government payments until I turn 67 and can get a part pension and most important a pension card. @TAB I am a self-funded retiree (super pension).
I’m just over the income limit for a low income health card by about $80 a fortnight alas. They should put income limit up in line with inflation and wages, but they haven’t put it up in a decade. So I have to pay full price for meds of which I have many plus supplements my GP recommended and one I take that’s supposed to be good for people with bipolar. The supplements are expensive too. One medication costs me $70! Then there’s all the household bills and home maintenance. Sorry for moaning but it’s tough some fortnights.

@tyme I didn’t like the bureaucratic jobs and marking of the vast majority of essays especially the ones that were badly written. ESL students were on cause their English had back to front grammar was like Spanish which I speak.

I specialised in Development Studies, Political Economy of International Development, and Latin American Politics (especially Cuba, Mexico and Political Violence). I worked in Political and International Studies Department.

I understand what you are saying @GezzaP even if do not believe is all darkness and light and no 'grey 'areas '.......................................

as said, talk to someone w specific experence.

You dont take'No' for an answer cenno can be good' option.

just need experienced guidance.

its not easy, but get help. there are tens of thousands at stake per applicant.

#1 get on cenno ie put money back to where it was when working

see someone to work out a reason that you changed your mind. Easy once have an account can still draw onpension ( like I do)but get like another $200k govt$ you cannot access atm(ok over periodtil 67th bday)

@TAB I can’t do that because I’m on a defined benefit pension and once you draw in it you can’t stop it. I have a separate Accumulation Component that increases most years that I can draw on. I am drawing on it to get my new solar panels and battery in January. I drew on it to go to NZ in March and want to go back to Mexico and US but not while Trump is in power (they’d likely deport me from US). Might fly to Japan then Canada over North Pole then Mexico City or Adelaide to NZ over South Pole to Argentina on to Bolivia, Galapagus Islands then Mexico City. Second option sounds great. Would tag US on end and maybe on to Spain, Africa, Indonesia and home do an around the world trip. This might be too much for me though.

Ok I’m going to bed. This is late for me.

there would be ways around it , like the rest of the pension/super thing.

doing what you have done probs complicated things but if you do not want to know, you don not.

I am on lows forty thousands in govt payments , get thousands in bill relief

and pull $ fromTTR account , not less than $25k/pa

@GezzaP