'Starving myself to keep the house': Perth woman's life on Newstart

[WA Today]( --------------------------------------------------------------- Thursday, 20th September, 2018 AM News Update [Now happy, healthy and working: Jessica Balmer with coworker Edward Collins.]( ['Starving myself to keep the house': Perth woman's life on Newstart]( BY Emma Young It's a running gag that an arts degree is the quickest way to the dole queue; but for Jessica Balmer it was true. --------------------------------------------------------------- Top stories [Molotov cocktails, knuckle dusters and guns seized]( Police first executed a search warrant at a home in Bertram on August 10 where it will be alleged they found over $70,000 in cash and approximately 33 grams of methamphetamine. [One of the guns which were found.]( --------------------------------------------------------------- [Rio Tinto opts for $4.4b buyback to return coal sale proceeds]( Global miner Rio Tinto has opted to return $4.4 billion in proceeds from the recent sale of coal assets to shareholders via a share buyback. [Rio will return the proceeds of recent coal sales to shareholders via a share buyback.]( --------------------------------------------------------------- [I'm an autistic WA woman, and I reject 'quiet hour' at Coles]( "Coles, I reject your disrespect toward myself and my son, and the reinforcement from society we are not worthy of consideration all the time, at times convenient to us." [Georgie and her son.]( --------------------------------------------------------------- [Bunbury man, 20, charged over obscene acts in northern Perth suburbs]( The man was charged with committing an obscene act and possessing drug paraphernalia. [Generic pic of a police arrest: 971205: Footscray police station: Pic Craig Sillitoe. Man with handcuffs behind him with ...]( --------------------------------------------------------------- [Turnbull lodged complaint with Murdoch over coverage in last days of his prime ministership]( The then prime minister challenged Rupert Murdoch over the coverage of his government in News Corp newspapers and its Sky News television channel. [Rupert Murdoch and Malcolm Turnbull composite]( --------------------------------------------------------------- [Baby meerkat goes missing from Perth Zoo]( A one-month-old meerkat has gone missing from Perth Zoo shortly after it started venturing out of its nest box, leaving heartbroken keepers fearing it has been taken by a predator or stolen. [A one-month-old meerkat similar to these ones has gone missing from Perth Zoo]( --------------------------------------------------------------- [The government's secret $660 million offer to crossbenchers during company tax cut negotiations]( Crossbench senators were offered an increase to welfare payments as part of the government's doomed efforts. [centrelink]( --------------------------------------------------------------- [WA road safety group 'fed up' after trauma trust funding knock-backs]( Transafe WA expressed their frustration at being knocked back twice for Road Trauma Trust Account funding, as the government concedes requests exceed resources. [In 93 per cent of major multi-vehicle crash fatalities involving a heavy vehicle, the lighter more smaller vehicle is at ...]( --------------------------------------------------------------- [Police set up new taskforce as tensions escalate between outlaw bikies]( Police have set up a dedicated taskforce in the wake of escalating and ongoing tensions between outlaw bikie clubs in Perth in recent months. [The Rebels are one of Australia's most powerful bikie clubs.]( --------------------------------------------------------------- [Tower of lies comes tumbling down around Australian of the Year finalist]( The former Australian of the Year finalist faces 10 years in jail if fraud charges are pursued. [Eman Sharobeem has been found corrupt by ICAC which has recommended the director of public prosecutions consider charges.]( --------------------------------------------------------------- ['It's so silly': Bachelor evictee rubbishes mansion romance rumours]( Jamie-Lee Dayz also revealed she's now in a serious relationship - with her ex-partner. [Jamie-Lee Dayz.]( --------------------------------------------------------------- [Cecilia Haddad's ex boyfriend 'confessed to her killing' court hears]( Mario Santoro argued with the businesswoman in her Sydney apartment and then strangled her to death, a detective has told a court. [Mario Marcelo Santoro, inset, is wanted over the death of Cecilia Haddad.?]( --------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------------------------- We've sent you this email because your email address {EMAIL} has been registered for a Fairfax Media membership. 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