Gday, lovers of freedom, wherever you are.

I am a 67 year old man in Australia at risk of homelessness because stupid bureaucratic bullies have denied me the right to an aged care pension.

This morning, at 9.33 a.m., Friday, 1st November, 2024 I rang up an office of the Australian Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, to demand action to rectify this injustice.

The above is a video of that phone call.

For people who have trouble hearing or understanding it, here is a transcript of most of what was said:

Me: A phone call to the Prime Minister of Australia.

Employee At The Department Of Prime Minister And Cabinet: Good Morning. Department Of The Prime Minister And Cabinet, switchboard. How can I help you?

Me: G’day. My name is Geoff. I am recording this phone call.

I sent an email this morning at a quarter past five that has all my details.

I was born on the 23rd of May, 1957, so Anthony Albanese was sworn in as Prime Minister on my 65th birthday. I wrote to him then asking him to better respect human rights.

This year on the 22nd of May, the day before my birthday, I lodged an application to Centrelink for the aged pension. It took me three weeks to complete that application because of bullying and incompetence of Centrelink staff which caused me to have a nervous breakdown in the Centrelink office on the 22nd of May. The Centrelink response to this, my distress of an old man who needs the aged care pension to survive, has been to shut me out of their offices and to deprive me of the aged care pension …….

I worked as a taxpayer for decades. I should have had it as my right. Instead i have been caused extraordinary emotional distress …….

Unless the Prime Minister takes action to correct that injustice, I am going to make a formal human rights complaint to the United Nations about him for his failure to respect human rights.

Now, is what I have said clear to you?

Employee At The Department Of Prime Minister And Cabinet: Ah, it is. However, we’re not the Prime Minister’s office …….. umm ….. I …….

Me: Well you are the phone number when I googled “Anthony Albanese contact”. You’re the phone number …….

Employee At The Department Of Prime Minister And Cabinet: (hard to understand words while i was talking) ….. the Prime Minister And Cabinet. but we’re not the minister’s offices nor we’re the cabinet ministers’ offices. I can connect you with parliament house and they can connect you with those offices.

Me: Go ahead, please.

Employee At The Department Of Prime Minister And Cabinet: Just a moment. Connecting you n …….

Another Switchboard Operator: (something hard to hear clearly) House.

Me: My name is Geoff. I was born on the 23rd of May, 1957, and I am recording this phone call. So, Anthony Albanese was sworn in as Prime Minister on my 65th birthday.

This other Switchboard Operator: You’re just on the switchboard. Who would you like to speak to?

Me: I want to speak to someone in the Prime Minister’s office.

A female prerecorded voice: Your call has been forwarded to an automatic voice message system., the mailbox belonging to ……

A male prerecorded voice: The Prime Minister’s office.

A female prerecorded voice: …… is full. To disconnect, press 1. To enter another number, press 2. If you don’t have a touchtone phone or you require assistance, please stay on the line …….

I did nothing, waiting for assistance, then said for the camera: Oh, golly. Here is the s …….

A female prerecorded voice: Please hold. Someone will be with you shortly.

Me for the camera: So here we get the same bureaucracy …….. call the Prime Minister’s office deeply distressed. I get shunted from ……….

A female prerecorded voice: I’m sorry. An operator is not available to help you. Are you still there?

Me: Yes.

A female prerecorded voice: To disconnect, press 1. To enter another number, press 2. (Pause) Please hold. Someone will be with you shortly. I’m sorry. An operator is not available to help you. Are you still there?

Me: Y …….

A female prerecorded voice: To disconnect, press 1. To enter another number, press 2.

Me: Yes, I am still here.

A female prerecorded voice: Sorry. you are having trouble. Please try again later. Goodbye.

Me: That’s what its like when you try to deal with the bureaucracy in Australia. They cant even talk to you. And that is a fundamental denial of the right to freedom of speech.”

I turned off the camera.

To quote Bob Dylan: “Goodbye is too good a word, babe. So I’ll just say fare thee well.”

Geoff Fox, 1st November, 2024