Victims of family violence should have their Centrelink debts waived, Independent Denison MHR Andrew Wilkie has said.
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On Monday, Mr Wilkie introduced a private member’s bill in Canberra’s House of Representatives, the purpose of which was to ensure that people with Centrelink debt accrued would not have to pay up if they had been affected by family violence.
“Often the last thing that people who have been affected by domestic or family violence need is a Centrelink debt hanging over their head,” Mr Wilkie said.
“This bill would be a good next step in helping people who have been affected by domestic or family violence and I hope that the government and Opposition will support it.”
Tasmanian Council of Social Service chief executive Kym Goodes said waiving Centrelink debts for victims of family violence would “increase recognition” of the “devastating” impact such violence could have on people.
“Financial abuse is a recognised form of family violence that diminishes a person’s ability to remain independent and support themselves and their families,” Ms Goodes said.
“If a Centrelink debt is found to be incurred as a result of financial abuse, it should be waived for the person who has been subject to the abuse.
“Not to do so continues and reinforces the abuse.”
Recently, a Senate inquiry into the Centrelink robo-debt fiasco came to Tasmania.
The inquiry sought to investigate the Department of Human Services’ automated debt recovery system, used to extract money owed to it by welfare recipients.
The system was known to have sent people notices asking them to pay large sums of money they did not necessarily owe.
To pressure welfare-recipients to honour their debts, private debt collectors were also employed under the strategy.