Centrelink facing changes amid ‘absolutely unprecedented’ coronavirus situation
The Families and Social Services Minister will be reviewing eligibility for Centrelink payments due to the unprecedented demand during the coronavirus crisis.
Currently, if you lose your job but your partner earns at least $48,000 you are not eligible for Centrelink payments, but this could be under review.
An asset test is not required for eligibility during the coronavirus period.
According to the government, there are currently 150,000 people accessing the MyGov website after hundreds of thousands of people lost their jobs due to shutdown measures.
Families and Social Services Minister Anne Ruston tells Deborah Knight they will consider a suite of measures to make Centrelink eligibility more flexible.
“It is an absolutely unprecedented situation.
“We are looking to make changes to those income limits, in recognition that many people who find themselves unemployed are geared completely differently because they were never expecting to find themselves without a job.”
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Image: Getty/Matt King
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