A 21-YEAR-OLD woman committed three armed robberies because she was too proud to go to Centrelink for support, the Supreme Court in Launceston was told yesterday.   :(

Cassandra Lee Yost, of Edward St, East Launceston, pleaded guilty to stealing $1450 at knifepoint in three separate armed robberies late last year.

She was apprehended after a relative identified her from video surveillance publicised by Tasmania Police.

Defence counsel Frances McCracken said Yost had been a good student who completed Year 12 with top marks.

She said she had been constantly employed since leaving school but lost her job last August.

Yost had planned to live off her savings but was unable to get a job.  :(

An addiction to alcohol caused her to accumulate a debt of $3500 from associates.  :(

"She was misguidedly too proud to apply to Centrelink for support," Ms McCracken said.  :(

She said Yost was physically threatened by associates about the debt and could see no way out of her situation and began keeping a knife and a wig in her handbag.

She said Yost had vomited after each of the robberies.

Crown prosecutor Alan Hensley said Yost had used a kitchen knife to rob a store at Ravenswood on November 17, stealing $350.

On December 1, she stole $110 cash and two bottles of wine.

On December 11, she stole $1000 from an IGA store.

Chief Justice Ewan Crawford ordered a pre-sentence report and remanded her in custody for sentence on April 15 at 4pm.

One does wonder, how many other people are unemployed, that are not on the dole?.  The ones that are not even counted in the official unemployment numbers.  The ones that might be to proud, to go on the dole, like this poor woman.   :(  

This is just another of so many stories of drug addiction.

She's better off in jail than doing the stupid job agency 'courses' associated with unemployment benefits. A roof over her head plus full board and colour tv, a/c heating for Tassie, and she has the opportunity to study a real course that might lead to a job on release, and she might dry out along the way.

Ex Dame Pansi wrote on Feb 26^th, 2011 at 1:59pm:

She's better off in jail than doing the stupid job agency 'courses' associated with unemployment benefits. A roof over her head plus full board and colour tv, a/c heating for Tassie, and she has the opportunity to study a real course that might lead to a job on release, and she might dry out along the way.

I must agree partially with that pansi....

I've only ever managed to find one job, through job agency courses....in something like 5 years ( in total) in the unemployment system....

gizmo_2655 wrote on Feb 26^th, 2011 at 2:09pm:

Ex Dame Pansi wrote on Feb 26th, 2011 at 1:59pm: She's better off in jail than doing the stupid job agency 'courses' associated with unemployment benefits. A roof over her head plus full board and colour tv, a/c heating for Tassie, and she has the opportunity to study a real course that might lead to a job on release, and she might dry out along the way. I must agree partially with that pansi.... I've only ever managed to find one job, through job agency courses....in something like 5 years ( in total) in the unemployment system....

I was half joking gizmo. I hate to see young people in jail, but she would have a better chance of getting her future sorted than she has through the job network........it's a scam. Imagine the hundreds of thousands of people they put through courses in any given year, and imagine how few get a job out of it.

I know of one middle aged lady who has been doing the courses for four years, all sorts of courses, she must have done the same course more than once.....and still no job, she said you could count on one hand the number of interviews she's had........but the job agencies never give up hope, they still push her into one after another.

Anyone would assume that she is the most well educated unemployed person in the country.....but she's not, simply because the courses are not worth shite.

Would they put a young fellow through a welding or bricklaying course? no way, they might all get jobs out of it, then they've just put themselves out of a job.

Different country I know but I went into the dole office many years ago now when I took 6 months off from finishing school and going to uni.

I went in to ask if I could claim anything.

I was only in there for about 20 mins but it has to be 20 of the most depressing minutes of my life.

Talk about a room full of failure and depression - I felt quite down after walking out.

PS - They told me I was entitled to 50 pounds per week until I started uni.
I told them not to bother and I got a summer job instead.

Ex Dame Pansi wrote on Feb 26^th, 2011 at 3:28pm:

gizmo_2655 wrote on Feb 26th, 2011 at 2:09pm: Ex Dame Pansi wrote on Feb 26th, 2011 at 1:59pm: She's better off in jail than doing the stupid job agency 'courses' associated with unemployment benefits. A roof over her head plus full board and colour tv, a/c heating for Tassie, and she has the opportunity to study a real course that might lead to a job on release, and she might dry out along the way. I must agree partially with that pansi.... I've only ever managed to find one job, through job agency courses....in something like 5 years ( in total) in the unemployment system.... I was half joking gizmo. I hate to see young people in jail, but she would have a better chance of getting her future sorted than she has through the job network........it's a scam. Imagine the hundreds of thousands of people they put through courses in any given year, and imagine how few get a job out of it. I know of one middle aged lady who has been doing the courses for four years, all sorts of courses, she must have done the same course more than once.....and still no job, she said you could count on one hand the number of interviews she's had........but the job agencies never give up hope, they still push her into one after another. Anyone would assume that she is the most well educated unemployed person in the country.....but she's not, simply because the courses are not worth shite. Would they put a young fellow through a welding or bricklaying course? no way, they might all get jobs out of it, then they've just put themselves out of a job.

the jails would probably teach her to rob banks!!!!!! and do hard drugs instead of the grog

isnt it about time these bloody lawyers put a bit of shame on these people instead of excuses like" ashamed to go to centrelink".. got to admit thats a new one!

its crap and we all know it.. these people I am truly sorry for but I am more sorry for the victims that were robbed and had a knife stuck in the faces.

how about making excuses for them poor buggers.or at least a bit of sympathy..

the pendulum has swung the complete opposite way now.

and the law is completely on the villains side I just know I would never ever want to be a victim as there would be no justice in this country for me and it would just eat away at me..

pansi I dont put the responsibility on the system the system is trying to do the right thing.. it is up to people to follow the course that their is work out there for.. its changing times.. we cant all be doing the thing we expect to do... we have to change.. because if we dont we lose out.

whats wrong with her she cant get a job waitressing or even cleaning.. to proud?

Who knows what is wrong.  The fact remains though, she said that for some reason, she couldn't get a job.  Yes I know its hard to believe, with jobs on every street corner, is it not?.   :(

Depression and alcohol issues may have contributed to this .. by the sounds of things.

wrote on Feb 26^th, 2011 at 12:21pm:

One does wonder, how many other people are unemployed, that are not on the dole?.  The ones that are not even counted in the official unemployment numbers.  The ones that might be to proud, to go on the dole, like this poor woman.   :(

There are a great many Aussie women (including young mothers) who are prostituting themselves (often to total strangers, but also to regulars/live-ins) because they cannot survive independently on either Centrelink benefits or the low wages that women are paid...

These vulnerable women find themselves with no alternative but to expose themselves (and often their children) to disease and/or day-to-day abuse and violence just to survive in our increasingly-inequitable economy...

If/when they do go to Control-link, they are treated as second-class citizens and demeaned, harassed, intimidated, scrutinised  and intruded-upon at every step of the way - not just by Control-link staff but also by their Job Network parasite proxies...

Look we all face tough times in life.

Andrei.Hicks wrote on Feb 26^th, 2011 at 6:29pm:

Look we all face tough times in life.

This is true .. but some people face harder times than others Andrei.

Also .. some can handle hard times a tad better than others (and for all sorts of different reasons).

.. whereas some cannot (as this case clearly demonstrates).

I'm sure if she had to choose between a cleaning job and armed robbery, she would take the job. Sometimes there is no choice. Have you seen people standing on the highway with a sign saying "work wanted". That would be hard to do.

Sometimes no work means no work whatsoever.

How about public servants given $300 each for health initiatives, so they can join a gym or take yoga classes, no proof needed, sure they'll all do the right thing....it's seriously a weird world.

Public servants' sweet $300 health deal to spend on whatever they choose

FEDERAL public servants are being paid a $300-a-year "healthy lifestyle subsidy", but there's nothing to stop them spending the money on chocolate and beer.

Victorian Liberal senator Mitch Fifield said the payments, which cost taxpayers $1 million a year, should be subject to greater accountability.

Officials from the Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs told a Senate committee they did not ask staff to prove the money was spent on healthy living.

"There would be nothing now stopping someone from using the $300 to buy deep-fried Mars bars?" asked Senator Fifield during the hearing.

"No," was the reply from department secretary Dr Jeff Harmer.

"While obviously we can't guarantee that they're not buying Mars bars, we don't want to employ the additional staff to make sure that they aren't."

Dr Harmer explained that many staff would use the subsidy for "gym membership and things like that".

Senator Fifield said the payment could "be easily rorted by bureaucrats".

"A payment to support good health is one thing, but there is no way to guarantee this money isn't spent down at the pub. Clearly, there is no accountability when it comes to this bonus," he said.

A department spokeswoman said later that employees were encouraged to have a healthy lifestyle because of the benefits this provided in terms of productivity and work attendance.

Public servants have received the payment for almost a decade but, until last year, were required to provide receipts.

They now receive an automatic payment to their bank account under efficiency changes made as part of their collective agreement with the union.

http://www.news.com.au/national/free-cash-fat-fight/story-e6frfkvr-1226012312095

.....................................................................................

A million could buy a few houses for the homeless.

Pansi - this is quite common.

Our company gives you $500 for a healthy lifestyle.

You have to spend it first and then show the receipt to get it - it's not just dished out as cash.

For example I show my gym membership and they give me $500.

It's a good idea I think.
Companies should help people have healthy lifestyles.

Ex Dame Pansi wrote on Feb 26^th, 2011 at 6:41pm:

I'm sure if she had to choose between a cleaning job and armed robbery, she would take the job. Sometimes there is no choice. Have you seen people standing on the highway with a sign saying "work wanted". That would be hard to do. Sometimes no work means no work whatsoever. How about public servants given $300 each for health initiatives, so they can join a gym or take yoga classes, no proof needed, sure they'll all do the right thing....it's seriously a weird world.

wrong for sure.

but the excuses....puhlllleeeeeeeeeeeeeeease.for sicking a knife in someones face.

are you making excuse for the AFL as well pansi... shouldnt pick and choose after all.?????

we all handle stress differently after all.. so we can all use that as an excuse..I cant handle anymore taxes so I will go and stick a knife in someones face and get all kinds of sympathy....why they may even have a whip round for me to pay my ill gotten debts.

and no I havent seen people standing with signs no work..we have a bloody good welfare system in this country some say too good.. but its there..

her lawyer claims she was too proud... lol.. but not to proud to carry a knife and stick it in someones face and take their hard earned cash..

and where is all the sympathy plus excuses.. it never fails to amaze me..

Andrei.Hicks wrote on Feb 26^th, 2011 at 6:52pm:

Pansi - this is quite common. Our company gives you $500 for a healthy lifestyle. You have to spend it first and then show the receipt to get it - it's not just dished out as cash. For example I show my gym membership and they give me $500. It's a good idea I think. Companies should help people have healthy lifestyles.

couldnt some shonkie operators work a deal on that though we have had the show a receipt for a night spent in a hotel.. when they never did.. it happens.. what ever happend to people being responsible for their own wellbeing..now all that is passed on to consumers of your product andrei which in turn is passed on again..will it ever stop?

cods wrote on Feb 26^th, 2011 at 7:27pm:

Andrei.Hicks wrote on Feb 26th, 2011 at 6:52pm: Pansi - this is quite common. Our company gives you $500 for a healthy lifestyle. You have to spend it first and then show the receipt to get it - it's not just dished out as cash. For example I show my gym membership and they give me $500. It's a good idea I think. Companies should help people have healthy lifestyles. couldnt some shonkie operators work a deal on that though we have had the show a receipt for a night spent in a hotel.. when they never did.. it happens.. what ever happend to people being responsible for their own wellbeing..now all that is passed on to consumers of your product andrei which in turn is passed on again..will it ever stop?

Will your fantasising ever stop?

CENTRELINK?
c&ntz.
j.

This case confirms what I have written many times in the past.

There will come a time when so many jobs have left our shores when ppl have no money no where to live that after a short period of time they turn to crime.

ppl will be robbed bashed murdered etc for small amount sof food and money.

I ask you, if you had not eaten for 5 days had no home lived in your unregistered car and found your self in a situation where a lone member of the public was walking by who clearly had something you wanted what would you do???


You only have to look at what happens when society breaks down like in new Orleans??

The day of us being like Sth Africa is not far away????????

I don't think it's 'Pride'.....

The title should be "She Was Too STUPID To Go On The Dole"....

laborfornever wrote on Feb 27^th, 2011 at 3:46pm:

This case confirms what I have written many times in the past. There will come a time when so many jobs have left our shores when ppl have no money no where to live that after a short period of time they turn to crime. ppl will be robbed bashed murdered etc for small amount sof food and money. I ask you, if you had not eaten for 5 days had no home lived in your unregistered car and found your self in a situation where a lone member of the public was walking by who clearly had something you wanted what would you do??? You only have to look at what happens when society breaks down like in new Orleans?? The day of us being like Sth Africa is not far away????????

We can't continue the way we are going with wage increases every other week. We will either have the smallest best paid work force in history, or we will have everyone working for $3 an hour.

Or we could have a blend of agriculture, industrialisation and innovative technology/knowledge and go ahead like Japan and South Korea.

gizmo_2655 wrote on Feb 27^th, 2011 at 3:55pm:

I don't think it's 'Pride'..... The title should be "She Was Too STUPID To Go On The Dole"....

to be honest gizmo I dont believ either she wanted over $3000 she wouldnt get that from centrelink in a hurry... for a lawyer to get paid out of the public purse to say this kind of crap really bugs me.. give her the fright of her life. make her face the people she did this too and explain to them how important it was that she may have taken their lives. for a few measly dollars...

should m ake them feel a whole lot better.. as our court system doesnt