@elleofarcana, @chronically_me_xo and @sophiaredjeb raised financial dependence, extra costs of living with disability, domestic and family violence, and the loss of autonomy when someone’s income depends on what their partner earns. @sophiaredjeb also presented findings from their report, The Human Cost of the Partner Income Test, and one of our volunteers shared their lived experience of the policy’s harm in action.
We asked what evidence supports a fundamental assumption behind the policy: that partnered people can safely and reliably pool their financial resources.
We were told there was no evidence or data available to substantiate that assumption.
This matters even more as NDIS cuts put greater responsibility for support onto partners and families. People should not be pushed into greater reliance on a partner for care, while simultaneously losing income support because of that relationship.
We also raised the limitations of existing safeguards and asked what immediate harm-reduction measures the Government will take.
Our goal remains clear: abolish partner income testing and treat adults as financially independent individuals.
We’ve followed up with the Minister’s office and will keep pushing for meaningful reform.
[Image description: series of screenshots from notes app, black text on a white background. Slides summarise the End Partner Income Testing campaign’s meeting with advisers to Social Services Minister Tanya Plibersek. Discussing financial dependence, disability, domestic and family violence, NDIS cuts, limits of existing safeguards, and calls for immediate reform. We were told no evidence or data was available to substantiate the assumption that partnered people can safely and reliably pool their finances. Final slides call for the full abolition of partner income testing.]
#AusPol #Centrelink #ndis
2 months agoitslizbennett
Thank you for putting pressure on the people who won't even respond to emails of the people directly impacted by this. Thank you so much.
2 months agoxmegananniex
My partner and I are both on DSP. The partner income test still applies to us. We get ~$250 less each fortnight EACH, because of the PIT. It makes no sense… 😩
2 months agotamara.chumbley
As an autistic person (professionally diagnosed at age 5) with learning difficulties (severe mixed receptive expressive language disorder professionally diagnosed at age 13), learning difficulties and mental health issues caused by both my autism and school related childhood trauma, I’m self diagnosed adhd due to psychiatrist charging a kidney to get a assessment and official diagnosis and currently receiving part of dsp for my disabilities and working in casual employment and one of the very few people with disabilities and special needs who have a job and I say very few because not many people with disabilities and special needs do get job opportunities or are underemployed we are extremely overlooked and turned away from the workforce and constantly having to prove ourselves and repeat in the capitalist and ableist world and my mum receives carers allowance so in my case I have both working and living restrictions and also restrictions on having a partner in general, the partnered income safety is extremely dangerous, ableist and unfair towards the future partners which is one of the reasons why I live a recluse life, I’m socially isolated outside my immediate family, I have a nonexistent social life, I have a nonexistent dating life, i go to work, train in the gym to improve my mental health and treat my mental health issues instead of seeing a psychologist, counsellor or any shrink. In my case trying to better myself in enhancing my opportunities in getting a trade or studying in trade and trying to stay in the workforce as long as I can is too far out of reach because to get an apprenticeship in my local area the tradies only want full timers who are teenagers and are no older than 25 years old and now to get into TAFE in general we have to undergo a literacy and numeracy test to their wording and how the test is written out and if we disclose our disabilities and ask for accommodations we get turned away. Thank you for fighting for our independence
2 months agomrshoey2016
Such important work being done. Well done! I am secretly hoping they abolish the income threshold on carers allowances too. I am carer for 4 people with complex disabilities and I cannot access any payments because combined wages are over income cap. Most of these earnings are my husbands. If I had access to the allowance, I would drop a work day and care more sustainably. Sadly that’s not a possibility anymore with these ndis reforms pushing through but maybe being paid for my role might be.
2 months agoemtendo.x
Thank you 😭 I never want to be stuck in coercive control again 😭 they don't understand that the money goes into THEIR account, and what some people try to make you do in order to get access to it 😢 and then the payments you have access to even when you do leave, isn't enough to support you by yourself, so you end up staying stuck in the abusive situation because many of us feel we have nowhere else to go
2 months agovlamb_art
Thank you, this is such incredible work you're doing, it gives me so much reassurance that we gave advocates like this 🙌❤️🥹
2 months agobabeswithmobilityaids
thank you for all the work youre doing in this space, you’re incredible 🩷
2 months agomisdiagnosedandmisunderstood
This is incredibly important work - the partner income test has to go. Thank you to everyone involved for their hard work and advocacy 🤍
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