2016-09-15
Cutting the backdating of payments for people that receive Carers Allowance is a mean-spirited section of the Omnibus Bill that should be abandoned, Greens spokesperson on disabilities Senator Rachel Siewert said today.
“When you have a bill that is hundreds of pages long that pulls $6 billion from so many areas, sometimes harsh cuts get buried in the detail, this rings true for the cut to Carers Allowance.
“It is mean-spirited to remove the backdating payment for people accessing Carers Allowance.
“Backdating exists because we know that members of the community can become unexpected carers due to sudden severe injury or a worsening pre-existing condition.
“For many, the last thing on someone’s mind when they take a carers role for their loved ones is the monetary support they can receive. This comes once the dust has settled, which may be a long period of time into that care.
“Carers provide an a huge amount of care and support nationally, the Government is taking this group for granted in moving to legislate this cut as part of the Omnibus Bill”.