Services Australia is under scrutiny for its use of password-bypassing software to investigate potentially fraudulent payments to singles, but there is one relationship rule that was quietly changed several years ago and which benefits those involved.
Polyamory – having more than one consenting ‘life partner’– is, for many people, a concept that sounds like it would be more trouble than it’s worth. But, unlike polygamy – being married to more than one partner – it is legal in Australia and practised by those with certain religious or cultural beliefs.
As it turns out, polyamory can also provide those involved with certain financial advantages, thanks to a little-known law change.
The change was legislated nearly five years ago, but came to prominence in recent weeks via a Parliament of Australia blog post. (Who knew parliamentary blog posts were a thing, and that they discussed such topics as polyamory?!)
Written by Parliamentary Library social policy researcher Michael Klapdor, the article is titled Centrelink no longer recognises polyamorous or multiple relationships, and reveals the fact that certain people who are part of such relationships are now considered by law to be single.
The law change dates back to 2018 and was introduced after claims that the rules provided financial advantage for polyamorous Australians. However, in certain circumstances, the new definition actually allows a person in a polyamorous relationship to claim more through Centrelink than they could before the change.
Centrelink advantages of polyamory
Mr Klapdor’s blog post provides an example that illustrates how the change has made that possible. He cites a theoretical polyamorous relationship between ‘Hank’ and his two partners ‘Kathryn’ and ‘Renée’, providing details of their income and children.
Under the current multiple relationship policy, while Hank and Kathryn are considered a couple, Renée would be defined as a single for social security purposes, making her eligible for a Single Parenting Payment, Family Tax Benefit Part A and Family Tax Benefit Part B.
In the example given, this would potentially allow Renée to claim about $27,400 per year.
That is not likely to have been the intended consequence of those who called for change back in 2016 and 2017. Among those making that call were Senators Cory Bernardi and Pauline Hanson and former chief of staff to Prime Minister Tony Abbott, Peta Credlin.
Mr Abbott was reportedly told that the policy changes he advocated, which were adopted in 2018, would result in a greater payment through the single-income benefits. Mr Abbott was no longer the PM when the policy change was legislated.
The change was made official on 28 August 2018 when a section of the Social Security Guide was deleted, and another section altered to state multiple relationships were not recognised by the social security system.
Whether the change was related to the installation of Scott Morrison as prime minister on the day of the change, or the replacement of Dan Tehan by Paul Fletcher four days earlier, remains a matter of conjecture.
Thanks to Mr Klapdor’s revelation, anyone entering a polyamorous relationship now knows of a potential financial benefit. Whether they believe that will make such a relationship worthwhile remains another matter altogether.
Were you aware of the complexities involved in polyamorous relationships? What do you think of the current policy as it stands? Why not share your thoughts in the comments section below?
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