2016-06-24
News that the vast majority of DSP applicants are being rejected since the Government changed eligibility rules and assessment process is not a cause for celebration and should be urgently addressed, Australian Greens Senator Rachel Siewert said today.
“It is extremely concerning that changing of the assessment process of the Disability Support Pension has resulted in a vast majority of applicants being rejected, that means people with disability are more likely to be living on the inadequate Newstart payment.
“We need data on what happened to these people. Answers to my questions during estimates indicates that people moved off DSP have ended up on Newstart, so it is likely that this is where people who have applied for DSP are ending up when rejected from DSP.
“At the beginning of the year evidence to estimates indicated that 30% per cent of DSP decisions are adjusted or overturned when they’re appealed to the Social Security Appeals Tribunal, this raises serious questions.
“Instead of trying to shave down people accessing the DSP and going after people with disabilities the Government should focus on the big end of town. We are a caring society and can do better”.