From the car to the queue: one year since I learned the welfare system isn't a net, it's a maze with no lights.

Nearly a year ago — May 2025 — I stopped sleeping in my leaking car and was placed in temporary shelter through Link2Home. It was the first time in weeks I slept without fear. But what followed wasn't relief. It was a lesson in how deeply broken the system is when you ask for help while poor, visible, and honest.

I walked 45 minutes to the housing office, only to be told they couldn’t help without income. Another 15 minutes to Centrelink, where they told me — while I stood in front of them in crisis — to apply online. Then a call to my super fund: nearly $200,000 saved, but I’d need to be on Centrelink for 26 weeks before I could access any of it.

At the DCJ Housing office in Bankstown, there was no privacy. People were asked to explain their trauma in front of strangers. I was no exception. When I mentioned the locked super, the room shifted. Suddenly, an officer tried to find a refuge — but still, nothing was available.

By day’s end, I had $30 to my name, no pet food, and my dog was about to eat what I ate. People had donated $550, but the funds wouldn't clear for days. I was told to wait until mid-June for Centrelink. I was expected to be grateful for temporary shelter while still in limbo.

Full story from that day:

https://medium.com/@cyrille.jeufo/from-the-car-to-the-queue-what-happens-when-you-ask-for-help-7f9545a4aaad