Centrelink’s mythbusting tour

Centrelink is conducting a mythbusting tour in the final weeks before same-sex relationships are recognised on 1 July.

Information sessions are being held to alleviate fears in the gay and lesbian community as well as in-house training for Centrelink’s staff on why same-sex couples still fear being outed.

Last week Centrelink officer Cameron Darling spoke with BGF case managers whose clients are often on disability pensions.

Darling, who is gay, is one of several Centrelink officers helping bridge the gap between Government and the gay community.

We will always err on the side of the customer, he said.

Five factors are used to determine if two people are a couple but there were no rules for how many were needed, he said.

They include the nature of the household, the financial aspect of the relationship, the social aspect, the nature of people’s commitment to each other and any sexual relationship between them.

Darling recommended gay and lesbian people speak with the Welfare Rights Network who were experts in those issues. Privacy was guaranteed under federal law, he added, with checks to ensure staff do not inappropriately access people’s details. Centrelink records are routinely cross-checked with another department’s details, such as bank loan records and tax returns, but relationship status is never disclosed to other parties.

Centrelink is also holding gay awareness training to prepare its staff for issues faced by the gay community.

The training involves the history of gay rights. It’s specifically their issues, history of homosexuality, where the community and Australia have gone in recognition of homosexuality, Darling said.

All staff in the Sydney area will have received the training by 30 June, but the roll-out will also include regional Centrelink branches.

After 1 July the job of educating the gay and lesbian community about their rights and responsibilities will be handed to the National LGBT Health Alliance which was awarded a $350,000 government grant for a national campaign.

info: The next Centrelink Sydney session is at the Surry Hills Library on 21 June, 2pm. Bookings via 9265 9274 or centrelink.gov.au.