Leanne Ho, executive officer of NSSRN, says Australia's social security system is based on "outdated and gendered assumptions" about how finances work in relationships.
"The expectation that members of a couple will share income and assets ignores gendered power imbalances in many relationships and increases some women’s risk of domestic and family violence," she said. Ed Husic, Shadow Minister for Human Services, said the report shows Centrelink "desperately needs the staff and the necessary training to deal with the added complexities confronting income support recipients dealing with family violence". The report makes a number of practical recommendations for changing Centrelink’s rules and definitions to better acknowledge and accommodate domestic violence victims, and enable staff to more easily navigate family situations that don’t fit the assumed model.
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"The expectation that members of a couple will share income and assets ignores gendered power imbalances in many relationships and increases some women’s risk of domestic and family violence," she said. Ed Husic, Shadow Minister for Human Services, said the report shows Centrelink "desperately needs the staff and the necessary training to deal with the added complexities confronting income support recipients dealing with family violence". The report makes a number of practical recommendations for changing Centrelink’s rules and definitions to better acknowledge and accommodate domestic violence victims, and enable staff to more easily navigate family situations that don’t fit the assumed model.
Read the full article here
