Australians with disabilities deserve dignity, safety, and independence. Yet the current welfare system ties financial support to a partner’s income, leaving many trapped in abusive relationships or struggling to survive.

These rules don’t just affect those with lifelong disabilities—they could impact anyone at any time. An illness, injury, or sudden hardship could force you to rely on government support. And under the current system, your financial independence could disappear overnight.

This isn’t just a disability issue. It could be you.

It’s time to abolish partner income tests and create a fairer, more compassionate system for all Australians.

The Disability Support Pension (DSP) is designed to support those who cannot work due to a physical, intellectual, or psychiatric condition. Yet its partner income test reduces or eliminates payments if a partner earns even a modest income.

This policy fails to reflect real-life challenges:

• 46% of disabled Australians cannot work and rely solely on the DSP to survive.
• The DSP provides just $1,026.50 per fortnight ($24,636 annually)—a $30,000 gap compared to the average individual income of $55,310 after tax.
• In relationships, a DSP recipient and their partner often have a combined income that falls below the average household income of $85,895 after tax, leaving them in financial strain.

The government’s own National Plan to End Violence Against Women and Children emphasises the importance of financial independence for safety and equality. Yet the DSP system forces people into financial dependency, leaving them vulnerable to economic abuse and unable to leave unsafe relationships.

This issue doesn’t just affect people with disabilities. Partner income rules also harm those facing unexpected life challenges. One supporter shared:

“I had to leave work to undergo cancer treatment. Because of my husband’s income, I could only receive $1,000 a fortnight on JobSeeker. Centrelink complications made it impossible to get support during chemo, so I had to return to work early, risking my health.”

Partner income rules punish people for being in relationships. This is unfair, unsustainable, and unsafe.

We call on the Australian Government to:

• Abolish partner income tests across all welfare payments, including DSP and JobSeeker, to ensure financial independence.
• Raise DSP payments to reflect the rising cost of living and provide recipients with a livable income.
• Implement safeguards to protect against economic abuse, ensuring victims have access to secure financial support.

This system doesn’t just hurt those with disabilities. It could happen to anyone. A sudden illness, injury, or unexpected hardship could leave you—or someone you love—reliant on government support. And under these rules, financial independence and safety could vanish simply because you’re in a relationship.

We cannot let this continue.

Sign this petition to demand dignity, fairness, and equality for all Australians. Welfare should empower people, not trap them in poverty or dependence. Together, we can fix this broken system and create one that truly supports those who need it most.

No one should have to choose between safety and survival. Join us in demanding change.