Drought, bushfire, now Centrelink: jobless queue just the latest trial for Kentucky farming family

Joining an hour-long unemployment queue outside Tamworth Centrelink this morning was just another trial.

Son, Oliver, lost his job as a delivery driver last week.

After giving up on a fruitless wait Monday, Margaret joined him for a second day in line on Tuesday, alongside dozens of other new jobless in a scene reminiscent of the Great Depression.

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They took their place towards the back of a queue out the door; first arrivals turned up at 6.45am for an 8.30am open.

But he's now all set to sign up for unemployment support for the first time.

Margaret said she feels "a bit crappy, you don't like to ask for handouts but you've got to make ends meet."

In November the family lost a house, a shed, and cattle to the deadly Yarrowitch blaze. The home is still in ruins and has not been cleaned up.

She cooks and cleans on a property, but she worries the COVID-19 crisis could hit the family income even more.

"With rebuilding it'll make it really hard and I don't know what's going to happen," she said.

"With the fire we've got to do the cleanup first before we can even think about what we're going to put back down there."

They're some of the hundreds of Tamworth residents who have already signed up for income support this week.

Teamo coffee shop is located right next door to Centrelink. Cafe owner Pru Russ said they are lucky to be in the best spot in town.

She estimated Tuesday's line was just as long or longer than Monday, with many of them ordering a pick-me-up for the wait.

"We've actually stopped the door this morning, so that people aren't trying to cram in, we don't want them to cram in," she said.

It's estimated as many as 2 million Australians could be out of work, with businesses shutting their doors often under Commonwealth orders to slow the coronavirus pandemic. Pubs, cinemas, restaurants are banned from offering sit-down service. Gyms, clubs, sporting and religious institutions have also been ordered to close their doors to help stem the spread of COVID-19.

Some economists estimate unemployment will triple to 15 per cent, the highest rate since 1932.

The Centrelink website crashed yesterday and phone lines jammed with unprecedented demand, driving thousands into unemployment queues across the country.

Unemployment benefits have been doubled for the period of the crisis, with most set to earn around $1100 a fortnight. But the jobless face a month-long wait for financial help.

Margaret Yarnold said the layoffs will hit particularly hard for farming families who have already had to battle a worst-ever drought for two years.

Many of them would have taken off-farm work as casual labour to supplement their income - only to be the first to go during layoffs.

To add insult to injury, her family has to drive about an hour to do a once-a-month shop, sometimes arriving to find bare shelves.

"(Staff say) - 'but it'll be in tomorrow', but you take potluck by the time you get there that's it's going to be there," she said.

Social Services Minister Anne Ruston today asked unemployed Australians not to turn up at Centrelink, saying new changes to the system mean proof of identity can be done over the phone.