Hey Dole Bludger, What Are You Listening To?

​If this Brisbane Courier Mail​ article published last week is any fair measure of reality (hot tip—it's objectively not), being an unemployed millennial or Gen Y in Australia right now is pretty freaking awesome.

Titled 'New Breed of Bludger', the article was in response to the recent Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Report, "Investing in Youth: Australia"​, that revealed Australia now has over half a million people between the ages of 15-29 who are NEETs: "not in employment, education or training."

Rather than consider why young Australians are finding it difficult to find employment, the Courier Mail article referred to NEETs as an "army" and depicted them as slackers who claim "dole" cheques and enjoy themselves at the tax payers expense.

It seems like young Australians really are too cool for school, or having a job, or enough money to eat well, or leave the house much—which should leave you with a lot of time to surf the web looking for sick tunes. That's why we've asked some young Brisbane dole bludgers to take a moment away from being really, really poor, to chat with us about what they're listening to at the moment.

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Dan the APEman, 24

So you're currently on the dole?
Yes, I work casually and inconsistently so I still require the nurturing teat of C-link to keep me afloat.

What music are you listening to your in your palatial dole palace when you wake up at 11am?
The Lion King soundtrack is the best way to start the day.

Do you get out to see much live music?
Yeah, when I can. It helps if my mates put my name on the door or shout me drinks though, otherwise I'm sacrificing my food money for tunes.

So is the dole is working out for you?
Look I'll be honest, it's pretty helpful, especially when I was trying to figure out what I wanted to do with my life. But it's pretty limiting on what you can do financially. Not just in terms of leisure time but living arrangements, diet and even your healthcare. It's not all as easy breezy as it's made out to be. And jobs aren't getting any easier to find.

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Alex, 25

You're on the dole right?
I've been on it since I graduated from Uni nearly a year ago.

What are you listening to when scouring the internet for work?
I tune into the radio, usually 102.1fm.

How rad is being on the dole?
I love the warm fuzzy feeling of waking up to all the job rejection emails everyday and then feeling so worthless that I don't have the energy to do anything that makes me happy, like playing guitar or working on my novel. My favourite thing is spending all my leftover money on photocopying resumes at Officeworks. It's such a rush.

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Dylan, 26

So you'e on the dole?
Yeah, it's been for a while now.

What do you listen to when sponging off honest Australian tax payers? 
General punk and grungy rock and metal.

Do you get out to see live music much when you're on New Start?
Only when my friends put me on the door.

What's it like being on the dole?
It truly sucks. The longer I'm on it the more I get depressed

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Grace, 23

You're currently on the dole, right?
I graduated 3 months ago and apparently journalism isn't a lucrative industry anymore.

What do you listen to when making your Mi-Goreng?
I have foregone simple pleasures at risk of angering baby boomers further with my dole-fuelled frivolity.

Do you get out to see much live music?
See above.

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Nathan, 25

So, you're currently on the dole?
Yeah, I've been on the dole for the past six- weeks. I am getting ready to record with two of the bands I play in and doing a radio show though so I'm not just watching Netflix.

What music you listening to your in your palatial dole palace when you wake up at 11am?
Local, Australian music. Lots of Spike Fuck, Clever, Palm Springs, Treehouse.

Does New Start allow you to get out and see many bands?
I get to see the shows I'm playing because I get in free and generally get a drink or two on the rider. Other than that, I see a lot of live music at house shows and DIY gigs which is cheaper and heaps more fun.

What's dole life like?
It's absolutely shit. I've got a cat to support, dude.