Workforce Australia providers are collecting millions in taxpayer money while subjecting Australians to psychological abuse, coercive control, and systemic bullying. It is time to audit the culture of these agencies and stop rewarding them for work they did not do.

My Story: The "Gratefulness" Demand

I am a graduate clinician working as a Behaviour Support Practitioner in the disability sector. I currently study postgraduate neuroscience at Sydney Uni. I dedicate my career to understanding human behaviour, supporting the vulnerable, and managing complex psychosocial risks. I am also a participant in Workforce Australia and what I have witnessed from the inside is a system built on psychological abuse and institutional coercion.

The Litmus Test

I secured a full-time, clinical role 6 months before graduation entirely through my own merit. I worked hard to finish my degree and earn a postgraduate offer. My previous and current provider (Ability Options and WISE Employment respectively from Ryde branches) have made the process of exiting the Workforce Australia program and accessing the employment fund the hardest part of my journey. Despite having zero contribution to my success and being an active hindrance, they stand to collect thousands of dollars in taxpayer money in outcome fees because of the government's privatisation and poor implementation of the program. 

The Gatekeeping

When I requested access to the Employment Fund, legislative entitlements designed to pay for my work tools, I was not treated like a professional. I was treated like a child or a hostage. Even though I stayed within an approved budget given to me and listed the items I need with justifications as to why I need it and how it’s related to my role, they pushed back. The business manager denied my access to fit-for-purpose tools and safety gear needed as a community clinician to flex authority, nitpicking the brand I picked and insisted I should be grateful for whatever they deem necessary for my work.I had to jump through hoops, beg, chase, over-explain myself to get approval for the items. They constantly held the fund over my head, threatened to cut me off and stonewalled me. Despite providing a letter of confirmation from my employer, outlining the nature of my work and a university transcript showing a completed program, they still interrogated me, belittled and talked down to me. The dynamic felt similar to a domestic violence relationship that’s rife with coercive control, financial abuse, and manipulation. 

The Abuse

When I advocated for myself, the Business Manager sent me a text message explicitly demanding "a bit of gratefulness" for the administration of government funds as though the money was coming from their own pockets and I was asking them a favour or that I owe them something. 

The Retaliation

When I asked for clarity, I advocated for myself, refused to be infantilised and maintained my boundaries, I was issued a formal Notice of Warning for inappropriate conduct with no evidence or reasoning of what I had actually said or done wrong. Nowhere, in my communication via texts or emails, did I use abusive or inappropriate language, threatening or violent conduct or anything remotely close. It seemed that this “business manager” was triggered, deeply insecure and wounded; projecting their wounds and trauma onto me. 

Why this terrifies me

As a clinician, I’m deeply concerned by the power dynamics and the lack of professional ethics at play here. This manager is using taxpayer funds as a tool for leverage and gatekeeping to assert control.

If these providers feel comfortable treating an educated, intelligent, health professional with documented neglect, power tripping and raises a grave concern regarding the treatment of vulnerable participants who may be disabled, from CALD backgrounds, have significant mental health challenges, or lack the capacity to advocate for themselves. 

Everyone, regardless of background, socioeconomic status or disability deserves to be treated with respect, dignity and kindness. This conduct highlights the need for the Workforce Australia program to be reformed or abolished completely. This has gone far beyond the use of the employment fund, it is infringing on basic human rights.

The Key Issues:

1. The Parasitic Business Model: Currently, private providers (like Ability Options, WISE, APM, etc.) can claim thousands of dollars in Outcome Payments when a participant finds a job even if the provider did absolutely nothing to help. 

· Participants are finding their own jobs, writing their own resumes, and securing their own interviews.

· Providers then "attach" themselves to these results to claim government bonuses.

We Demand: If a participant finds their own job, the provider receives $0. Taxpayer money should only pay for actual service, not passive profiteering.

2. Institutional Coercive Control: the power dynamic between Job Agents and participants mirrors domestic violence and coercive control.

· Agents use the threat of poverty (payment suspensions) to demand control, power and emotional subservience.

· They gatekeep essential resources (The Employment Fund) to exert control, often denying fit-for-purpose work gear to punish participants who advocate for themselves.

· This creates a psychosocial hazard. The system attracts and retains staff who enjoy power-tripping over vulnerable people, often displaying traits of narcissism and sadism 

3. The Gatekeeping of Support Funds: the Employment Fund is meant to remove barriers to work. Instead, it is being hoarded by providers to protect their margins or used as a tool of manipulation.

· Participants are forced to beg for work boots, fuel vouchers, and licences.

·  Managers use "Value for Money" excuses to deny safety equipment while their companies report record profits.

Our Demands:

1. The "No Find, No Fee" Rule: Amend the deed so that providers cannot claim Outcome Payments for employment secured independently by the participant.

2. Psychosocial Safety Audit: The Department of Employment (DEWR) must investigate the recruitment practices of providers. We need to screen out individuals with high-conflict, authoritarian, or abusive personality traits from managing vulnerable people.

3. Independent Employment Fund Access: Participants should be able to access their Employment Fund directly through the DEWR portal for approved work-related expenses, removing the abusive middleman.

Why this matters: We are paying private companies to bully Australians. We are handing millions to job agencies that act like abusive partners: controlling the money, demanding gratitude, and punishing independence. It’s time to stop the grift.