GOVERNMENT NEEDS TO GUARANTEE PENSION PROOF-OF-LIFE WON’T BE ANOTHER DEBACLE

The Government needs to guarantee its pension “proof-of-life” requirement won’t be another debacle.

The Government has had a long track record of messing up Centrelink programs – from the disastrous Robodebt to the blown out pension wait times.

The Government’s cuts and outsourcing of Centrelink jobs have taken their toll. There are serious questions about the Government’s ability to competently implement this new proof-of-life requirement.

Of course Labor does not think that the Age Pension should be paid to people who have died. That goes without saying.

But we don’t want a situation where pensioners are left without any income because of another government IT debacle.

Labor will review the details of this plan carefully.

The reality is Australians can’t trust the Abbott Turnbull Morrison Government with Centrelink and with the pension.