According to the Public Interest Advocacy Centre Centrelink has cancelled the payments of some of the nation’s homeless because they are not able to satisfy strict proof of identity requirements.
In a statement released to the media today, co-ordinator of the Homeless Persons Legal Service, Elizabeth Baraka said:
“Appropriate identification documents are essential for homeless people, not only to obtain income support payments but also to access many other vital services such as crisis accommodation, establish a bank account, and make an application to the Department of Housing. Centrelink is aware of the difficulty faced by homeless people in obtaining adequate identification but at present provides no support to obtain identification documents and instead simply cancels their payments.”
Centrelink’s actions are in direct conflict with their official policy on the homeless which appears on the department’s website:
“Centrelink is sensitive to, and flexible about, the varying needs of people of all ages who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless. Centrelink can connect those at risk of becoming homeless or those experiencing homelessness with local community agencies offering help with finding accommodation and overcoming barriers that may be affecting people’s lives. Centrelink can also help customers access appropriate income support options, establish proof of identity and provide intensive personal support.”
As if these poor sods don’t have enough reasons to be depressed at this time of year, Centrelink has cut off their only source of income support, leaving many homeless to beg on the streets of our cities and major towns.
It must be remembered that most of us are not so very removed from the threat of homelessness. For the average Australian struggling to pay the rent or to make this month’s mortgage payment, the loss of our income would be devastating. I for one would like to know that if the worst should happen, there would be a safety net to catch me if I should fall.
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I participated in a wonderful event this year for the second time, a Homeless Connect day put on by the Brisbane City Council and Volunteering Queensland. One of the services available on the day provides people with their birth certificates so they can re-connect to centrelink and medicare if they choose to do so. There are many ways to be involved on this hugely successful day through the donation of your time, goods or professional services. Volunteering Queensland are the people to contact: http://www.volqld.org.au
Wanda Dobe CBP The BodyTalk System.
Thank you Elizabeth for responding and I hope Centrelink will work with you to resolve this issue.
Mr Jongen is correct when he says that Centrelink staff visit refuges and other places, and I commend them highly for that. I am aware that there are many staff within Centrelink, particularly their social workers, who do care for people and try to help them. That is not our criticism.
However, I cannot reconcile what I know to be the official policy of Centrelink about helping people obtain identification documents with the many people who approach the Homeless Persons’ Legal Service having been cut off payments for having insufficient ID, or with letters threatening cut off if they do not produce a birth certificate, citizenship certificate etc. These are often people who have been receiving Centrelink for many years, many have mental illnesses, most have no ID documents except Medicare and Centrelink cards, and cannot afford the fee to apply to the Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages (or may have come to Australia as infants and therefore have no record of their birth). They could prove their identity in other ways using the alternative POI to which Mr Jongen refers. That is probably how they began receiving Centrelink payments in the first place. So, why years later are they then sent letters asking for more ID to prevent them being cut off? When we asked Centrelink if they will help these people get their ID and pay for the certificates required, we were told no.
I had a man call me in the week before Christmas, frantic because he had just been cut off payments. He had been trying to get his documents together without help, in response to a letter from Centrelink, but had not been able to do so in time to meet the cut-off date.
We would welcome the opportunity to work with Centrelink to ensure that these issues are dealt with.
[Sorry for the delay in responding but I was on leave when the notification came through.]
Dear Mr Jongen
Thank you for the response. I have referred your concerns on to my original source for comment. Unfortunately I have received no response from the Public Interest Advocacy Centre who issued the media release referred to in the above article. I will further investigate this story and if the Public Interest Advocacy Centre is not able or willing to substantiate their claims, which formed the basis of this article, I will remove this post from the website.
As far as I’m aware, there is no truth to this story. I’d be extremely concerned if a homeless person’s payment was cancelled because they were unable to provide identification.
Furthermore, to suggest that Centrelink provide’s no support to homeless people in providing appropriate identification to access payments is simply not true.
Centrelink recognises some customers, such as homeless people, may find it difficult to provide identification when applying for payments.
We can use alternative POI processes for customers who can’t produce sufficient identity documents or have difficulty in getting them.
These arrangements have always been in place to help people in difficult circumstances, such as emergencies, homelessness or those who genuinely can’t get their original documents.
POI processes aren’t about excluding people from assistance when they need it. However, there is a need to strike a balance between providing the best service for customers and ensuring that taxpayers’ money is properly protected.
In addition, Centrelink has Community Officers, who are dedicated Centrelink staff who specifically provide service to customers who are homeless.
We recognise it may be difficult for homeless people to visit one of our offices, so these staff visit customers in rehabilitation centres, general and psychiatric hospitals, hostels, refuges, drop in centres and organised meeting places.
It’s the job of Centrelink Community Officers to reconnect people to the right services and payments by taking our services directly to where they’re needed.
These staff aim to ensure society’s most vulnerable with barriers such as homelessness, mental illness or drug and alcohol issues have the same opportunities as other members of the community.