EOTFY

Yep. It's the End Of The Financial Year and it's a sucky time to be dealing with financial programs.

I've just spent the past two days learning a new system that isn't quite ready. The people in Canberra simply haven't 'got around to it'. The Canberra office can get around that shit; we can't.

We are a regional office of four staff, catering to a population of over seven hundred who want to pay their electricity, car rego, licences, land rent, water, etc and we've been shut down while learning this system.

And we can't use it, because 'it's not quite ready'. Don't know when they'll sort it out.

"You said it would be up on Monday and we'd be able to use it."

"Yeah, well, we were busy."

"Busy."

"Yeah, it's the end of the financial year, you know. We've got accounts out the wazoo."

"But you haven't even changed over the bank accounts. That was supposed to be done last week!"

"Hmm. Was it? Don't remember that. I'd better speak to someone... er... She's down there training you. You'd better talk to her."

"When. Will. The. System. Be. Up?"

"Oh, well, Wednesday? No... gotta another section to deal with... How about the end of the week?"

"No, unacceptable. We have customers wanting to pay bills. Being shut for two days is enough."

"Hmm. Well, whenever, I guess. I'llgetbacktoyousoonbye." Click.

This office has been ready for the change of financial systems for some weeks; we even reconciled the last five years worth of transactions when the Canberra boffins couldn't. We. Are. Ready.

So what the fuck is up with Canberra? They've known about this for months. It was simply a case of transfering or copying the system used on Christmas Island, and they're still mucking about?

It pisses me off the way central office treats the regionals. Happened when I worked for Immigration, too, except I never treated regional staff with disrespect. I watched others do it.

Now, I'm on the other side of the fence and I don't care for it. No point in getting stressed; there is nothing I can do about it - and I sure as Hell won't be apologising to the customers for Canberra's fuck up.

Some days, I really don't need a 'real' job. I'd be much happier writing the day away. Unfortunately, that doesn't pay the bills. Yet.

One day. Soon. Really. This working for other people sucks.