Centrelink to reassure older gay couples
The Federal Government has tried to reassure Australia’s major gay organisations that it will not discriminate against elderly gay couples and gay couples living in the country who are affected by new social security laws.
The Minister for Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, Jenny Macklin, said that Centrelink would take into account any fears about discrimination in determining people’s social security debt.
If the same-sex couple who individually received Government payments had failed to register with Centrelink because of a legitimate fear that they would be discriminated against, Centrelink would consider waiving the debt.
Around 6,300 people – just over half the expected number – have declared their same-sex couple status to Centrelink. Couples who failed to register by July 14 last year would be building up social security debts and face repayment and possible prosecution if caught.
Under the changes gay couples are treated the same as heterosexual de facto couples, receive the lower couples rate, and have their partner’s income taken into account.
In a letter to the Australian Coalition for Equality, Ms Macklin said the fear of discrimination might “apply more so for older people than younger people and may also be more relevant in a rural setting”.
