LABOR MISMANAGEMENT PUTS DOMESTIC VIOLENCE VICTIMS AT RISK KATY GALLAGHER MUST CLEAN UP BILL SHORTEN’S MESS

The Albanese Government is processing payment claims for former prisoners three times as fast as crisis support payments for victim-survivors of domestic violence and has overseen a 50 per cent blow out in the time it takes on average to pay out crisis payments to vulnerable Australians.

The Crisis Payment is a one-off non-taxable payment for someone who has experienced an extreme circumstance and is in severe financial hardship and has a dedicated stream for victim-survivors of family and domestic violence.

Despite Labor’s pledges to improve government services, on Bill Shorten’s watch the average days taken by Services Australia to process Crisis Payment claims rose from 2 days in 2021-22, under the Coalition, to 3 days in 2023-24 – a 50 per cent blow out.

The data shows that under Labor in 2023-24 former prisoners had their payments processed within two days 96.4 per cent of the time, 50,659 out of 52,549.

This compares with Domestic Violence Victim Crisis Payments which had just 32.3 per cent of claims processed on time – just 19,291 out of 59,728.

For victim-survivors of family and domestic violence who chose to leave home, 65.6 per cent of claims were processed late or 30,302 out of 46,159.

For victim-survivors of family and domestic violence who chose to remain in home, 74.7 per cent of claims were processed late or 10,135 out of 13,569.

Behind every one of these statistics is a vulnerable Australian who was seeking support.

Incoming responsible minister Katy Gallagher must immediately commit to returning Crisis Payment claim processing times back to the standard set under the Coalition.

Deputy Leader of the Opposition and Shadow Minister for Women Sussan Ley called on Bill Shorten to apologise to the women he let down and for Katy Gallagher to clean up his mess.

“When it comes to protecting women from domestic violence, minutes matter greatly and the fact Bill Shorten presided over this blow-out in the processing of critical crisis payments is unforgivable. Katy Gallagher must immediately commit to reversing this failure, Australian women deserve better than this.”

Shadow Minister for Government Services Paul Fletcher said Labor’s mismanagement of Services Australia had put vulnerable Australians at risk.

“Despite Services Australia receiving a massive staffing boost, Labor has failed to deliver the essential services Australians rely on,” Mr Fletcher said.

Shadow Minister for Child Protection and the Prevention of Family Violence Senator Kerrynne Liddle said, “the nature of a crisis payment is for an urgent response to what could be a life-threatening situation.”

“It is not acceptable that as this country is experiencing a family and domestic violence epidemic, the Albanese Labor Government has not sufficiently appreciated the need for urgent and prioritised response.”