Australian welfare rights advocates have welcomed changes aimed at preventing family violence victim-survivors from being punished under Centrelink rules.
Under social security rules, people must declare to Centrelink whether they are single or in a relationship. Those deemed to be in a “couple” receive a lower rate of income support than singles.
But advocates have long warned that the rule has a perverse effect on victim-survivors of family and domestic violence.
Leanne Ho, the organisation’s chief executive, said the changes meant Centrelink officers would soon need to explicitly consider whether domestic violence was a factor when determining if a recipient was a member of a couple.
A new Mental Health and Wellbeing Local has opened in the Frankston, providing an easy way to get treatment and support for people aged 26 years and over who are experiencing mental health challenges – including people with co-occurring alcohol and drug treatment and care needs.
The Mental Health and Wellbeing Local service offering will scale up over time to deliver the full-service model. This means some providers are offering telehealth initially and will build up to face-to-face services, while others may offer wellbeing peer supports prior to introducing clinical treatments and therapies. Consumers can still access Mental Health and Wellbeing Hubs while the new services are being established.
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