Joel Fitzgibbon (Hunter, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Hansard source

In around September of 2013 Denman resident Stephen Ward suffered a terrible stroke. He wasn't yet 50 years of age. Stephen's recovery has been slow, painful and frustrating. It hasn't stopped him, though, from his ongoing commitment to his local community, including his ongoing service to Muswellbrook Shire Council as an elected councillor.

His rock through his trials has been his family and, in particular, his wife Tracy. Tracy Ward is an amazing human being. In fact she often seems somewhat beyond human—a superwoman, possibly. For all of her adult life, Tracy has been an energetic contributor to her local community. That didn't change when family life grew busier and it didn't change when Stephen suffered his terrible stroke. She has had the tenacity to negotiate every hurdle of bureaucracy which has been placed in her path from Centrelink and the health system, which let them down the day of Stephen's stroke, right through to the NDIS.

I was very proud of Tracy, who—for full disclosure, I should say, is a member of the Australian Labor Party, as is Stephen—shared their experiences here in Parliament House in front of the Minister for Health, the Shadow minister for health and many senior MPs and senators. You imagine, then, how angry I was to learn two weeks ago that Tracy had received a debt-recovery demand letter from Centrelink. The amount was $39,581.13. Tracy received that letter late in the afternoon after returning from work. She had to sleep on that letter. She sent me an email overnight. I contacted her very early the next morning and said, 'Centrelink's not open for business, but I'm aware of your email and I'll be on the job at the first opportunity.' Typical of Tracy, she said, 'No, I've got to take Stephen for rehab, and after that I'll visit Centrelink in Muswellbrook and see whether I can clarify the situation myself.' It turns out Centrelink had the wrong Tracy Ward. Tracy Ward has no debt to Centrelink, thank goodness, but imagine if someone less tough or less calm than Tracy Ward had received that letter. I can only imagine what the ramifications could have been for some. We've all been aware of the robo-debt recovery process and the way in which Centrelink has been gutted by this government. I stand by Centrelink staff. I know they are doing it tough in difficult circumstances, but what happened to Tracy Ward was a disgrace.

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