Episode 5 - Odd Jobs (Full Episode)
This episode, we explore the world of “odd jobs” during the coronavirus pandemic. Many people don’t conform to the banalities of the 9-5, and it’s these sole traders that are getting left behind by Jobseeker and Jobkeeper payments. We speak to those on the margins - drug dealers, refugee advocates, cam girls and funeral celebrants - and the everyday, like dog walkers and babysitters about pandemic life. Some are on the brink, and others are experiencing unexpected success.
Producer: Josh Martin | Assistant Producer: Katelyn Kalafatis
Story 1 | Drugs & Alcohol Reporter: Brodie Hoyne
We’ve all turned to different coping mechanisms during isolation, but one many share is an affinity for the drink. Liquor store owners are comparing their commercial boon to Christmas, with the nation increasing their spending on booze by at least a third on average. But illegal drug use is also on the rise in less traceable ways and in ways you wouldn’t expect.
Story 2 | Dog Walking Reporter: Mikayla van Loon
With the surplus of free time, many people are spending far more time with their furry friends than usual. But frontline workers are less lucky. While clocking 12-hour days, their pets are missing them at home. Dog walkers are being faced with surprisingly unprecedented demand.
Story 3 | Funeral Celebrant Reporter: Sam Watson
It’s hard to grieve in a time where death is a ticking number on a news outlet. It’s even harder when you can’t attend the funeral. Funeral celebrants in Australia are grappling with the Coronavirus-induced restriction of attendees to ten people, and adapting to live streams. With increased privacy comes the cost of shared affection, and a sad increase in business.
Story 4 | Refugee Experiences Reporter: Nicholas Obst
All of us are vulnerable during the coronavirus crisis, but what about those that don’t even have anywhere to call home? Refugees are falling through the ever-widening cracks, and losing their access to charity and housing without eligibility for Jobkeeper. Advocacy seems to be lost in the constant roar of the pandemic news cycle, and it’s hard to know when people might listen to some of our most vulnerable again.
Story 5 | Nannies & Babysitters Reporter: Isabelle Harris
Coronavirus is a two-pronged economic and public health crisis. Few areas illustrate the dilemma in addressing both spikes as well as the traditionally casual work of babysitting. Parents who need them while they adjust to home-schooling their children are scared of the risk of infection involved in letting a babysitter into their home. Some parents can’t afford them, even if they need them. Babysitters are either out of a job or are forced to work under serious risks.
Story 6 | Cam Girls Cai Holroyd
Coronavirus has created a dating crisis. We’ve never craved connection quite like we have while locked away in our homes, unable to touch or see others in the flesh. Sex workers who normally account for shortages in intimacy have a lot more work on their plate, and have been forced to move into the domain of “camming”, where they perform on camera. But they’re being forced to contend with unprecedented demand, legal ambiguity, and competition in the well established cam girl community.