On Wed, Feb 08, 2023 at 07:41:28PM +1100, Karl Auer wrote: > [...] > All those millions and they produce a time-wasting user interface that is > just begging for user errors and typos. > > It's too late now, but MyGov really needs to be put out of our misery. > > I seethed about it all to my son, who said (rather unsympathetically I > thought) "Let me tell you about Centrelink..."
The purpose of MyGov (and Centrelink) is to generate the appearance of providing an important public service while making it as difficult and traumatic AND pointless for the public to use as possible. The crappy user-interface and terrible design isn't a bug, it's a feature. The system is working as designed, which is to automate the worst of bureacratic incompetence and indifference whilst simultaneously eliminating the human element that makes it bearable. And while MyGov was designed by the Libs, implementing their malice towards anyone "worth" less than a few million, the ALP won't fix it, just like they never undo any of the damage done by the Libs. They probably wouldn't have designed it to be quite as brutal as the Libs (they don't actually hate the poor or enjoy getting in a few kicks when people are down like the Libs do), but they won't fix it. And the ALP sure as hell wouldn't be killing off Robodebt or doing more than some cosmetic fixing if it hadn't already been killed by the courts and public opinion long before they even got elected. It's safe for them to make a big song and dance about it now, it's already dead so doesn't require any decision or action on their part. They're still too terrified of Murdoch to be that bold. They still remember what was done to Gillard over the mining tax but are too stupid to remember that Murdoch will **never** be on their side, no matter how much they suck up, unless he wants to give a temporary spanking to the Libs for some minor disobedience. The Libs have been slowly killing off Medicare and the PBS over the years, with the death of a thousand cuts (because even they know that the public wouldn't stand for it just being axed) and freezing medicare payments, and stealth-privatising our health system with outsourcing, every time they're in power - but Labor never undo the damage when they get voted back in. They just let it stand. They wouldn't even cancel the hundreds of billions in tax cuts for the wealthy....even though even the Murdoch press had to admit that it was stupid and harmful to go ahead with it. Is it any wonder that nobody's ever actually happy about Labor getting elected, just relieved that the Libs are out of office for a few years and can't make things even worse? So, yeah, back to the point - don't expect anything useful to be done about it. At most, if enough people complain loudly enough for long enough, they'll announce an inquiry to evaluate and improve MyGov, in the certain knowledge that people have short memories and will get distracted by the footy or the cricket or some equally important celebrity squabble or scandal. craig _______________________________________________ Link mailing list [email protected] https://mailman.anu.edu.au/mailman/listinfo/link
