Centrelink manager taking it personally

Centrelink manager taking it personally

Centrelink general manager Hank Jongen has vowed to personally follow up on any cases of homophobia or incompetence in staff handling of gay and lesbian cases.

Responding to a story published in Sydney Star Observer on July 22, Jongen offered to intervene in certain cases.

I heard about complaints [of homophobia] in the early stages of the campaign and I’d be really interested hearing from people if they’ve had more recent experiences, because if this is still happening I’m really disappointed to hear it, he told Sydney Star Observer.

If people still have concerns, they can contact me directly. I’d urge people who have had these experiences to contact me because I will investigate them. If there are any examples of underlying homophobia then that is something that would be of great concern to us, he said.

Jongen gave assurances to people concerned about outing themselves to a government agency.

People have no need to fear outing themseves with Centrelink. Core to all of our work -” not just in relation to these changes -” is the protection of people’s privacy and the confidentiality of information, he said.

He said legislation prohibits the use of information for any purpose other than Centrelink’s stated objectives.

We are particularly alert to the fact that people in small communities may have some concerns. We’re also attuned to the fact that particularly older gays and lesbians -” people in their 70s and 80s -” have been, because of society’s attitudes, forced to live in the closet all their lives and are now concerned about outing themselves.

Those issues have been central to the training we’ve provided our staff and people should feel no fear about breaches of their privacy and confidentiality.

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21 responses to “Centrelink manager taking it personally”

  1. I have been taxed as a single person for well over fifty years of my working life. I have never had a government hand-out but have helped support irresponsible single mothers and people who don’t want to work by the thousands.

    I live with a gay friend. We each have our own partners who live elsewhere. Centrelink decides we are partners and reduces my pension.

    If I work a day and earn no more that I am allowed as a pensioner, I am still taxed as a single person!

    Perhaps I should try to have a baby so I can get $5000 out of the miserable bastards.

  2. centrelink loses 6.5 billion a year,when are you aussies gonna wake up! they are rascist discriminatory and a blatant
    waste of taxpayers money.

    think about how proud you are to be australian,blah!

  3. Once again the Govt., Centrelink etc are out for a money grab irrespective of whom it hurts , affected. Im a Carer and have had a witch hunt after me by Centrelink wanting to know all my information financial and personal.Where Centrelink have lied, missled me and not communication to me my information requests.They have broken and not been made accountable under the Public Service Act, Social Security Act,Etc.They have used bullying, victimizing behaviour.And they seem to be above the law not beeing made accountable.we are heading for a Nazi like dictatorchip country where our rights are no longer.So to all be careful, dont open your mouth, write everything down ..perhaps we all can have a class action against Centrelink, the Govt responsible? regards to all.

  4. @Ben

    An update since 1 July 2008. The “Human Rights and Equal Opportunities Commission” is now just called the “Human Rights Commission”.

  5. Paul, thats true actually because Europe tends to have a more relaxed culture whereas theres still lots of people here that tend to still cling on to the absolute past. Though Id rather have Kevin Rudd as Prime Minister than Malcolm Turnbull any day.

  6. Well you know centrelink one shoe fits all, hysterical here is a pension increase yet taketh with the other hand. Onya Rudd. Lies i tell you all liessssss

  7. Well you know centrelink one shoe fits all, hysterical here is a pension increase yet taketh with the other hand. Onya Rudd. Lies i tell you all liessssssssssssssssssssssssssss.

  8. i love my carer like i love my mother, that mean were married? get a grip. How many Hiv men have male carer’s? that just may have the occasional fling, or if not are just plutonic.

  9. @Chillisauce100

    Your quotes are on-the-ball:

    “Why do we, gays and homosexuals, not have full rights as citizens?
    Why does being gay or homosexual restrict our rights in Australian society?
    I have not heard an acceptable reason why, I should not have the same rights as all other Australians.
    Why am I deemed to be different, by Australian laws, to all other Australians because I am a homosexual?”

    That is so very true!!!!

    It is because we have a “grey-headed bigot” called Kevin Rudd in power who can not get over the past.

    I can always move to Albania, here’s why (even a Muslim country can be AHEAD of Australia):

    http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/07/31/2642687.htm

  10. Why do we, gays and homosexuals, not have full rights as citizens?

    Why does being gay or homosexual restrict our rights in Australian society?

    I have not heard an acceptable reason why, I should not have the same rights as all other Australians.

    Why am I deemed to be different, by Australian laws, to all other Australians because I am a homosexual?

  11. Bec – while I too want formal relationship recognition, the Government’s acceptance of the Human Rights and Equal Opportunities Commission (’58/08′) gave same-sex couples many important new benefits – in workers’ compensation, in family law, aged care benefits and medicare entitlements.

    That report was a defining moment and helped shape the biggest ever national advance in gay and lesbian rights and entitlements.

  12. most gays who fall under this new legislation are smart enough to tell centrelink nothing (i know many cases of deliberate avoidance)- why would they?

  13. and although i am 100% behind the introduction of a “Grandfather clause” in legislation re: centrelink what hasnt been addressed is this. The state has finally recognised us in a small way. and now demands money from us. We still do not have the same legal recognitions as straight couples (re: same sex marriage)yet they are now demanding money from us as a couple. They want us to take the responsibilities of ‘couple’ status without the rights. this is bullshit!!!!

  14. It’s still dangerous to be an out gay man or lesbian in some parts of this country. If someone is outed in a small country town that they have lived in all their lives, there is no way that damage can be undone. There should have been a grandfather clause in this legislation. And it’s not too late to be implemented. We are heading to an early election and we need to start organising ourselves now. Mr Rudd and Mr Turnbull (in particular) need to take notice of our community and undo this double standard that our older brothers and sisters have been saddled with.

  15. This is like mopping up after the mess is made. It is shameful and unacceptable that anyone in their 70s or 80s or older is expected to out themselves to Centrelink and, in many cases, lose $175 a fortnight as a result. A lifetime of being discriminated against and then this. I commend the 78ers who spoke out about the injustice of this situation and threatened to blockade MPs’ offices. The Welfare Rights Service national hotline is the first port of call for anyone dealing with this nightmare.
    1800226028

    Street address: 102, 55 Holt St, Surry Hills, NSW 2010
    Postal address: As above
    Telephone: (02) 9211 5300 and 1800 226 028 for people calling from outside the Sydney metropolitan area
    Fax: (02) 9211 5268
    TTY: (02) 9211 0238
    Email: [email protected]

  16. I got the impression from some Centrelink staff that they weren’t so much homophobic but just hated everyone. How fair minded is that?

  17. I am worried that we as a gay couple have spent our working lives building up separate superannuation plans without any of the benefits that straight couples. Now as a couple we are likely to be penalised by authorities like the ATO and Centrelink in that they will now look at our retirement funds as joint property rather than seperate property. This would deny one or both of us benefits potentially available. In other words we would have to pay for our retirement twice instead of once like straight couples. We will have to consider ourselves as engaged to be married/ defacto. Until we tie the knot our property will be apart and protected from the government authorities.

  18. And if we suffer or have suffered homophobia at Centrelink how do we contact Mr Hank Jongen to complain ? Is this just lip service ?