A woman who cares for her elderly mother was made to tell all about her sex life during a tribunal hearing.
• Nielan Toms had to provide details of her sex like to prove she wasn't in a relationship with her housemate
• Centrelink originally assumed she was coupled with the man she was living with
• Her carer's payment was denied as it was thought her application wasn't correctly submitted because the man's details were missing
Nielan Toms, from Brisbane, had her request for a carer's payment denied by Centrelink as it was claimed she was in a relationship with the man she was living with.
They said since she was part of a couple and her supposed partner had not provided income or asset details, she was not eligible for the benefits.
However Ms Toms then had to reveal that she was involed in a 'friends with benefits' sitution with the man, known as Mr D, and they were not together in any other way.
It was accepted by the Administrative Appeals Tribunal that the woman, 46, was not in a relationship with the man after she further explained she had multiple sexual partners.
'People should fight if they are being done over and know they are in the right. You can take on Centrelink and win,' Ms Toms said yesterday, according to The Courier Mail.
She also said that she was not ashamed of airing details of her sex life as 'friends with benefits' relationships were becoming more common and accepted.
'Centrelink is behind the times. The Social Security Act needs to be updated and changed to reflect modern society,' said Ms Toms, who is now living with her parents.
While living with Mr D, the pair reportedly shared a bed but their relationship was purely physical, and they had different lounge areas.
Daily Mail
