Welfare Rights Centre is a community legal centre specialising in social security and family assistance law.
We help people who have a problem with Centrelink.

need advice ?

information hub

first nations

training and events

advocacy & law reform

about the centre

We all want to live in communities where we can se

We all want to live in communities where we can seek meaningful employment that supports us.

Does your candidate believe in adequately equipping employment services with the tools they need to make a real difference?

Centrelink’s Mutual Obligations framework isn’t working - it is undermining genuine job seeking, eroding self-esteem and impacting mental health. We need a system that provides dignified, impactful support.

It's time for a rights-based approach – one that prioritises wellbeing, respects individual agency, and actually helps people into secure employment.

This election, let’s strengthen the social security system.
Australia can afford a strong social security system for everyone.

Find your candidate here: Link in bio

We all benefit from a social security system that

We all benefit from a social security system that supports and protects us.

The Disability Support Pension is designed to provide people living with disability and medical conditions with higher levels of autonomy and stability, but Centrelink’s complex processes make it one of the hardest payments to access.

People living with disability should be getting more support in accessing social security payments, not less.

We need a system that provides fair, accessible and compassionate support, without placing extra burdens on those who need it most.

This election, let’s strengthen our social security system.
Ask your local candidates where they stand.
Use this tool to find your candidates: See link in bio

We all want to live in a world where we can trust

We all want to live in a world where we can trust our leaders and feel confident that they prioritise a strong social security safety net that supports us all.

After Robodebt, trust in the social security system was shattered. There are still many issues with automation and systems that require fixing.

When a system fails we need to assess and redesign to ensure it is fit for purpose. We want to be certain that Robodebt never happens again.

Social security legal services are a key stakeholder in that redesign.
Ask your local candidate where they stand.
Together, we can strengthen our social security system

Use this tool to find your candidates: See link in bio

📣 We are closed today for the public holiday. W

📣 We are closed today for the public holiday. We reopen Monday 28th April at 9.00am as usual. We apologise for any inconvenience.

When we take care of each other, we all grow stron

When we take care of each other, we all grow stronger.
Australia can afford a strong social security system for everyone.
But right now, our social security safety net is failing. Too many people are struggling to afford the basic necessities: food, rent, and medicine.
Our elected representatives must do the right thing: Increase income support payments.
The upcoming Federal Election is your chance to create change.

Ask your local candidates where they stand.
Use this tool to find your candidates: See link in bio

⚖️ Everyone Deserves Access to Justice ⚖️

⚖️ Everyone Deserves Access to Justice ⚖️
Free social security legal help empowers people to stand up for their rights and can transform lives by providing pathways to education, financial support for food, electricity, medicines and housing.
When our service is properly funded, we can answer more calls, help more people, and fight Centrelink mistakes that leave people in crisis.

We're calling on all candidates to support a $5 million funding stream for specialist social security legal services across Australia.

The upcoming Federal Election is your chance to create change.
Ask your local candidates where they stand on building a stronger social security system.

Use this tool to find your candidates: see link in bio

For victim-survivors of family and domestic violen

For victim-survivors of family and domestic violence, financial independence is crucial.

Do you want to learn practical skills and tips to help women and families experiencing FDV access and maintain essential Centrelink payments?

Join us for a free in person workshop to support Central Coast First Nations community workers with FDV & Centrelink issues.

What you’ll gain:
• Practical skills and strategies for navigating Centrelink
• Recognise common challenges faced by clients
• Learn effective ways to assist clients in financial hardship during times of crisis
• Discover tips for improving access to income support
• Understand your options when dealing with Centrelink debts
• How to lodge an appeal

This workshop is hosted by @gudjagangngaralidhi and is supported by @alintaenergy and @anz_au

Register now through the 🔗 in our bio!

No matter who we are or where we live everybody sh

No matter who we are or where we live everybody should have access to a safe and secure place to call home.
As the cost of living in NSW continues to rise, Commonwealth Rent Assistance is falling behind — leaving too many in our communities at risk of homelessness.

Are your candidates standing up for a strong social security safety net?

Find your candidates : see link in bio

We are closed today and will reopen on Tuesday 22n

We are closed today and will reopen on Tuesday 22nd April.
Our intake line will be open again on Wednesday 23rd April. You can call us on (02) 9211 5300 or 1800 226 028.

Alternatively, you can send a message through our website anytime and we will be in touch as soon as possible.
Link in bio 💙

We all have a right to adequate and equitable supp

We all have a right to adequate and equitable support, no matter where we live.

The current single rate of payment for Centrelink’s Remote Area Allowance is $9.10 per week – the same as it was in 2000. That is more than two decades without an increase.

People living in remote areas are facing some of the steepest costs for life’s essentials - electricity, food & fuel - yet receiving the least support.
The Remote Area Allowance must be increased and properly indexed to reflect the rising cost of living in remote communities.

This election, let’s strengthen the social security system.
Australia can afford a strong social security system for everyone.

Ask your local candidate: What are you doing to push for an increase in the Remote Area Allowance?
🔗 link in bio

#RaiseTheRate #SocialSecurityMatters #StrongSocialSecurity #NoOneLeftBehind #AccessToJustice #RemoteAreaAllowance #Equity for All #CostOfLivingCrisis

@jim_chalmers_mp senkatyg amandarishworth @markdreyfusmp @dai_le @tulefowler @aconstance @shoalhaven.greens @laborforgilmore @danrepacholi @katedezarnaulds @greens.4.hunter @the_nationals Reid4Robertson @lucywickscc

Centrelink payments are life support for victim-su

Centrelink payments are life support for victim-survivors of family and domestic violence.
Current payments are inadequate for many to leave a violent relationship and not return.
Survivors face ongoing barriers to staying safe and independent.
This election, let’s choose a stronger social security system.
Australia can afford it.
💬 Ask your local candidates where they stand.
🔗 Find your candidates: See link in bio

Our social security system is meant to protect and

Our social security system is meant to protect and support us -
like a forest whose tall trees shelter young plants from harsh sun and heavy rain and roots that prevent them from being washed away. With the right support, people can find their footing, grow strong, and in time support others.

Most of us need Centrelink at some point in our lives. When we leave home to study. When we become parents. When we need childcare, lose a job, live with illness or disability, or reach retirement. The social security system must be fair and accessible.

But right now, our social security safety net isn’t working as it should. Too many people are going without the basics: food, rent and medicine. Some are being pushed into financial crisis by unfair debts or cancelled Centrelink payments. Others are wrongly refused support altogether.

Our representatives need to do the right thing and commit to strengthening our social security system. Centrelink must be accessible, and provide the financial support that allows us to live with dignity.

And when Centrelink gets it wrong, people need access to justice. That’s why specialist services like Welfare Rights Centre exist: to help people enforce their rights and shine a light on systemic problems - like Robodebt.

Australia can afford a strong social security system for everyone.
🎯 The upcoming Federal Election is your chance to create change.
📣 Ask your local candidates where they stand.
See link in bio

Will you raise the rate of JobSeeker, Youth Allowance and other payments?
Will you increase Commonwealth Rent Assistance?
Will you increase the Remote Area Allowance?
Will you fund specialist social security legal services?
Will you ensure Robodebt never happens again?
Will you abolish harmful mutual obligations?
Will you ensure fair access to the Disability Support Pension?
Will you ensure the system supports victim-survivors of domestic and family violence?

@jim_chalmers_mp senkatyg amandarishworth @markdreyfusmp @dai_le @tulefowler @aconstance @shoalhaven.greens @laborforgilmore @danrepacholi @katedezarnaulds @greens.4.hunter @the_nationals Reid4Robertson @lucywickscc

📣 A heartfelt thank you to Tharawal Aboriginal

📣 A heartfelt thank you to Tharawal Aboriginal Corporation for welcoming Welfare Rights Centre’s Senior Solicitor Donna Flood and First Nations Access Officer Allienttia Weldon to deliver a workshop for General Practitioners on the evidentiary requirements for accessing the Disability Support Pension (DSP).

Together, we explored effective ways to better support First Nations people in accessing this vital income support when it’s most needed. We truly appreciate the opportunity to share this important training and look forward to connecting again soon!

Find out more about accessing Disability Support Pension on our First Nations Info Hub, link in bio 🔗

🎇 Our newest Practical Legal Trainee, Greta, is

🎇 Our newest Practical Legal Trainee, Greta, is a perfect fit for Welfare Rights Centre.

Passionate about the intersection of law and technology, Greta was deeply troubled by the devastation caused by Robodebt. She explored automation in the public sector for her law honours thesis and is committed to ensuring that everyone has access to justice and free legal representation.

Greta believes the law shouldn’t be a barrier—it should be accessible to all. She’s dedicated to breaking down complex legal issues so that people can understand and advocate for their rights.

Thank you, Greta! We’re excited to support you on this journey.

Every year, Welfare Rights Centre trains and supervises up to 8 practical legal trainees and secondees. Our training program not only helps us support clients but also ensures a new generation of social justice advocates enter the legal sector with strong ethics and practical skills.

💙 You can help fund this vital training now: https://buff.ly/llX1viR

💡 Are you a carer for someone with a disability

💡 Are you a carer for someone with a disability, medical condition, or who is elderly?

Navigating Centrelink can be confusing, but we’ve got you covered! Our Carers and Centrelink factsheet explains:

✅ The differences between Carer Payment & Carer Allowance
✅ How to apply & what to do if your claim is denied
✅ Extra support like respite care, Carer Supplement & Child Disability Assistance Payment

Make sure you’re getting the support you’re entitled to!
📥 Download the factsheet now – link in bio.

📣Great to welcome Quinton and Bree, Indigenous

📣Great to welcome Quinton and Bree, Indigenous Service Officers from services.australia to the office last week. They shared valuable information about their roles, the services they provide across Sydney, and key resources.

Thank you both for your time and insights!

💡 Did you know your relationship status can imp

💡 Did you know your relationship status can impact your Centrelink payments?

Understanding how Centrelink defines a relationship is crucial to ensure you're receiving the correct payment and avoid accumulating a debt.

Our ‘Am I In a Relationship?’ factsheet provides essential information on Centrelink’s Member of a Couple rule, including what to do if you're in a domestic violence situation, how to handle an investigation and more.

Gain the knowledge you need to navigate these complex issues.

Download it now on our website through the link in our bio 🔗

March News: Future Funding, Mutual Obligations & C

March News: Future Funding, Mutual Obligations & Centrelink Barriers

🔹 Future Funding: We continue advocating for sustainable funding to support our vital services.
🔹 Mutual Obligations Paused: System under review due to damaging results
🔹 Refugees Turned Away: Refugees are being wrongly denied Centrelink support.

Read more on these critical issues and what we’re doing to push for change - link in bio.

📩 Subscribe to our newsletter to keep up-to-date with Welfare Rights Centre news, free community worker training and events through the link in our bio 🔗

Do you know how Centrelink can assist those affect

Do you know how Centrelink can assist those affected by domestic and family violence?

Our free recorded webinar provides valuable insights for community workers supporting victims and survivors.

💡 Topics covered include:
✔️ Payments like Parenting Payment, JobSeeker Payment, Crisis Payment, and Special Benefit.
✔️ Establishing entitlement, claim timeframes, and residency qualifications
✔️ Navigating the Member of a Couple rule and presumptions of shared income
✔️ Addressing challenges like care of children, removal of children by perpetrators, and special circumstances in relation to debts
✔️ Accessing Centrelink Social Workers for tailored support

Let us equip you with the knowledge to guide your clients through Centrelink processes with confidence.

🎥 Our free webinar is available to watch now on our website, through the link in our bio 🔗

Thanks to @ecstra.foundation for making our Community Worker Training program possible.

📢 Thank You! A huge thank you to everyone who

📢 Thank You!

A huge thank you to everyone who joined our recent Families with Children and Centrelink free community worker training webinar. Your positive feedback means so much to us.

📺 Missed out? You can watch it now on our website through the link in our bio 🔗

Stay in the know! Subscribe to our newsletter to be the first to hear about our upcoming free community worker training events - link in bio 🔗

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