Cost of living a priority for young people

Independent Member for Clark, Andrew Wilkie, raised the issue of cost of living for young people in Federal Parliament. See above video for full speech. “ “I rise on behalf…

Centrelink system needs desperate reform

Independent Member for Clark, Andrew Wilkie, delivered the following speech to Federal Parliament to urge the Government to introduce much-needed systemic reforms to Centrelink. See above video for full speech.…

Outdated Centrelink laws adding to domestic violence survivor challenges

Independent Member for Clark, Andrew Wilkie, delivered the following 90 second statement to the Parliament. “Australia’s welfare system was created to provide a safety net for our most vulnerable. But,…

Robodebt victims deserve answers

Independent Member for Clark, Andrew Wilkie, has welcomed the Albanese Government’s establishment of a long-overdue Royal Commission into the Robodebt scandal. “It’s beyond time the full extent of the damage…

Put the ‘trust’ back into the Trustee system

Imagine not being able to decide where and how you can live, afford an iced coffee at a café as an occasional treat, buy presents for your grandkids or replace…

Government dodges chance to help clean up public trustees

It was entirely unsatisfactory for the Federal Government to refuse to commit to help establish a national framework for supported decision-making when I put the question to the Prime Minister…

Let’s show our elders a little more respect

“Shocked, bullied and panicked” … that’s how Hobart octogenarian Jan* felt upon opening a letter from Centrelink demanding she supply financial records dating back an eye-popping 17 years. “I’m just…

Age Pensioners now being targeted by Centrelink’s useless automated systems

Law-abiding Age Pensioners are the vulnerable people now targeted by Centrelink in what I can only describe as a new low. Rather than recouping the billions of dollars in JobKeeper…

No lessons learned from Robodebt debacle

Independent Member for Clark, Andrew Wilkie, has slammed Centrelink for continuing to monster older Australians, including a Hobart octogenarian who has been asked to provide financial records dating back almost…