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Ingram and Secretary, Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs [2009] AATA 12 (9 January 2009)
Last Updated: 9 January 2009
Administrative Appeals Tribunal
DECISION AND REASONS FOR DECISION [2009] AATA 12
ADMINISTRATIVE APPEALS TRIBUNAL )
) No 2008/2046
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GENERAL ADMINISTRATIVE DIVISION
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Re
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Applicant
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And
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SECRETARY, DEPARTMENT OF FAMILIES, HOUSING,
COMMUNITY SERVICES AND INDIGENOUS AFFAIRS
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Respondent
DECISION
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Tribunal
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Ms N Isenberg, Senior Member
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Date 9 January 2009
Place Sydney
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Decision
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The decision under review is affirmed.
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....................[sgd]...................
Ms N
Isenberg
Senior Member
CATCHWORDS
SOCIAL SECURITY – disability support
pension – member of a couple – marriage-like relationship –
specified
criteria for forming an opinion about relationship – decision
under review affirmed
Social Security Act 1991 – Section 4
Re SRWW and Secretary, Department of Family and Community Services [2001]
AATA 495
Cullinane and Secretary, Department of Family and Community Services
[2004] AATA 789
Re Secretary, Department of Family and Community Services and WAP [2000]
AATA 7
Pelka v Secretary, Department of Family and Community Services
[2006] FCA 735; (2006) 151 FCR 546
Re Secretary, Department of Employment and Workplace Relations and
Sperring [2007] AATA 1050
Mould and Department of Family and Community Services [2001] AATA
388
REASONS FOR DECISION
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Ms N Isenberg, Senior Member
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BACKGROUND
- Vincent
Ingram married Beverley Ingram in 1966. Since 2002 both he and Mrs Ingram were
paid disability support pension (“DSP”)
on the basis that they were
a married couple.
- In
May 2004 Mr Ingram lodged with Centrelink a separation details form, declaring
that he had separated from Mrs Ingram on 9 January
2004. Centrelink then
commenced paying Mr Ingram the single rate of pension. On the form he also
indicated that his address was
28 Mitumba Road, Seven Hills, while his wife
lived at 313 Blacktown Road, Prospect. In fact, the two addresses were for the
same
corner property. When Centrelink became aware that the 2 properties were
identical, it decided that Mr Ingram should be treated
as a member of a couple
and therefore paid at the married rate. Mr and Mrs Ingram divorced on 26 July
2007.
ISSUE
- Is
Mr Ingram a “member of a couple” as defined in section 4 of the
Social Security Act 1991 (“the Act”) for the purpose of
calculating his entitlement to DSP?
LEGISLATION
- The
term “member of a couple” is defined in s 4(2) of the Act as
including someone who is in a “marriage-like relationship”
with a
person of the opposite sex. In order to determine whether someone’s
relationship is “marriage-like” s 4(3)
of the Act states that all of
the circumstances of a relationship must be considered, including the
following:
- the
financial aspects of the relationship, including:
- any joint
ownership of real estate or other major assets and any joint liabilities;
and
- any significant
pooling of financial resources especially in relation to major financial
commitments; and
- any legal
obligations owed by one person in respect of the other person; and
- the basis of any
sharing of day-to-day household expenses;
- the
nature of the household, including:
- any joint
responsibility for providing care or support of children; and
- the living
arrangements of the people; and
- the basis on
which responsibility for housework is distributed;
- the
social aspects of the relationship, including:
- whether the
people hold themselves out as married to each other; and
- the assessment
of friends and regular associates of the people about the nature of their
relationship; and
- the basis on
which the people make plans for, or engage in, joint social activities;
- any
sexual relationship between the people;
- the
nature of the people’s commitment to each other, including:
- the length of
the relationship; and
- the nature of
any companionship and emotional support that the people provide to each other;
and
- whether the
people consider that the relationship is likely to continue indefinitely;
and
- whether the
people see their relationship as a marriage-like relationship
THE EVIDENCE
- Mr
Ingram gave evidence, as did Mrs Ingram, Mr Colin Ingram (their son), and Dr J
Watts (their GP).
- Documents
were tendered – see Annexure A.
CONSIDERATION
- The
concept of a "marriage-like relationship" under the Act was discussed in
Re SRWW and Secretary, Department of Family and Community Services
[2001] AATA 495, where the Tribunal noted that each matter is to be considered
on its merits and that the Tribunal should remain flexible in its
approach. The
‘list’ in s 4 is not exhaustive and no guidance is given as to the
weight of any factor. They are common-sense
indicators: Cullinane and
Secretary, Department of Family and Community Services [2004] AATA 789. The
total picture of the relationship that emerges from the factors must be weighed:
Re Secretary, Department of Family and Community Services and WAP [2000]
AATA 7 (“WAP”). One factor alone will not be determinative
of a marriage like relationship: Pelka v Secretary, Department of Family and
Community Services [2006] FCA 735; (2006) 151 FCR 546.
- The
issue of how two cohabitating persons view their relationship, based on their
mutual or individual perceptions of what constitutes
a “marriage-like
relationship”, is also not determinative. The test is an objective one:
WAP.
- As
to the indicia of a “marriage like relationship” in s 4(3) of the
Act, there is no one feature in Mr and Mrs Ingram’s
relationship that
stands out as dictating a conclusion. I have reached my conclusion from the
totality of the evidence.
- Those
statutory criteria are considered below, having regard to the evidence before
me.
FINANCIAL ASPECTS OF THE RELATIONSHIP
- The
property at 313 Blacktown Rd, Prospect had previously been owned by Mr
Ingram’s family for many years. It was then jointly
owned by Mr and Mrs
Ingram before being transferred to their family trust in 1997. It was managed
by the family company, Irarpac
Pty Ltd, of which Mr and Mrs Ingram are the sole
shareholders. I note that In 2002 Mr Ingram told Centrelink that he did not own
shares in any private company.
- In
2001 Mrs Ingram purchased the property from the trust, according to Mrs Ingram,
because she “wanted it”. Mr Ingram
said that the house was
transferred to Mrs Ingram due to his wish to arrange his affairs because of his
illness and belief in his
reduced life expectancy. He acknowledged that if they
had been joint tenants Mrs Ingram would acquire the property on his death
in any
event. He said that would have caused her too much stress.
- Notwithstanding
that he had no interest in the property, in 2002 in his claim for DSP, Mr Ingram
described himself as a homeowner.
In the form there was an option to indicate
that he had the right to use part of someone else’s house.
- Money
to build the house had come from Mrs Ingram’s share of the proceeds of
sale of their former jointly-owned home at Menai.
Mr Ingram used his share to
buy a car, he spent $60K on a trip overseas and he invested $20 - $30K in
superannuation.
- Both
Mr and Mrs Ingram denied that they had wanted to subdivide the property so as to
sell part of it; rather, because "things were
not good [between them]”,
they wanted to build a house for each of them. However, there were problems
with the council and
although plans were approved, the cost was going to be too
high, especially as the council would not actually let them subdivide.
Mr
Ingram said they decided instead to build only one house which was “really
2 houses put together”, with each of them
having input into their
respective areas. However, as was pointed out, one of the "houses" would have
no bathroom or kitchen. Mrs
Ingram said there was no real discussion about the
design because it was “[her] house”.
- The
family trust also owns a unit at Turtle Beach from which it receives income. Mr
Ingram said he decides how the income from the
trust is to be distributed and he
said it generally goes to the grandchildren for sporting fees and holidays. He
said that if Mrs
Ingram wanted any money from the trust to buy, for example, a
television, he would make a distribution to her. Only one signatory
is required
for the trust's accounts and he doubts if Mrs Ingram is a signatory. He said he
manages all payments associated with
the trust. Mrs Ingram, on the other hand,
said that all decisions relating to the trust are taken together, although she
agreed
Mr Ingram mainly does the banking associated with the trust. In 2002 Mr
Ingram had told Centrelink that he had no interest in a
family trust.
- Mr
Ingram had told Centrelink on 4 April 2007 that he and Mrs Ingram had no joint
bank accounts. In fact, at least as at 21 April
2007, there was a joint St
George bank account, into which Mrs Ingram’s DSP was being paid. Mrs
Ingram thought they may have
had joint accounts “many years
ago”.
- Mr
Ingram has his own card on Mrs Ingram’s credit card account. He
(physically) pays the household bills by phone, using her
credit card. In April
2007 he told Centrelink that he only accessed Mrs Ingram’s account in
emergencies. He described Mrs
Ingram as being “very good with
money”, but forgetful and not very good with forms.
- Mr
Ingram told the Social Security Appeals Tribunal (“SSAT”) that he
and Mrs Ingram are beneficiaries in each others’
wills and that he is
named as the beneficiary in Mrs Ingram’s superannuation. Mrs Ingram said
she does not have any superannuation,
and Mr Ingram told me that Mrs Ingram is
the beneficiary of his superannuation. In April 2007 he told Centrelink that he
and Mrs
Ingram were not each other’s superannuation beneficiaries.
- Mr
Ingram told me he did not see any point in changing his will as all that he owns
is a motor vehicle and his clothes. He said that
he did not care if Mrs Ingram
changed her will. Contrary to the terms of her will, Mrs Ingram said that on
her death Mr Ingram would
have to leave the house. Mr Ingram assumes that the
children will let him stay in the house, but he is convinced he will die before
Mrs Ingram anyway, which is somewhat at odds with the high level of care each of
them said she requires. He said that if he could
find a suitable place he would
move “tomorrow”. However, he needs to be close by as he is Mrs
Ingram’s carer,
and also to provide assistance to the grandchildren:
“if I don’t look after [Mrs Ingram] and the grandchildren, who
will?”
He denied that he had told the SSAT that he and Mrs Ingram stay
together for the sake of the grandchildren.
NATURE OF THE
HOUSEHOLD
- Mr
Ingram provided a diagram of the house indicating his and Mrs Ingram’s
separate areas. While they do not share a bedroom
or bathroom, the kitchen and
family room are shared. Their son, Colin, also lives at the house. Mr Ingram
stressed that there are
separate entrances to the house. However one of these
appears, from the diagram, to be through the laundry.
- Photographs
of the house show that there are 2 separate letter boxes, which have been there,
according to Mrs Ingram, for “a
few years” so that she did not have
to be bothered with Mr Ingram’s mail. Copies of correspondence sent to Mr
Ingram
as late as 2002 record his address as 313 Blacktown Road, Prospect, and
this is the “address” from which Mr Ingram told
Centrelink in 2004
that he had moved.
- In
providing details of his separation to Centrelink in May 2004, Mr Ingram noted
the change of address and provided his daughter’s
telephone number. He
told Centrelink that his previous address was 313 Blacktown Road, Prospect. In
fact he was living at the same
premises. He claimed to have told Centrelink at
that time that he was separated and living under the same roof, but there was no
evidence of that.
- Mr
Ingram resides in the house rent free. Mrs Ingram said he has a right to live
there because he is helping her and if that were
not the case she would
“turf him out”. Because Mr Ingram cares for her she considered it a
fair division that he lives
there rent free and she pays all the bills.
- Mr
Ingram does not contribute to the property’s upkeep, other than the
gardening. He told Centrelink in April 2007 that sometimes
Mrs Ingram mowed the
lawn. He purchases his own food and clothing. He said that if Mrs Ingram
wanted money from him she could ask
for it. There is no household
“kitty” and neither he nor Colin make any contribution for communal
expenses. He said
that Mrs Ingram “wants to pay for
everything”.
- At
the house they each have their own car, fridge and TV. Mr Ingram said that Mrs
Ingram has recently purchased a new fridge. He
was able to detail where she had
bought it and how much she paid for it and the size of the fridge. She said he
had helped her pick
it out. He, on the other hand, said he had taken her to the
shop to buy it but “just went for the free coffee".
- There
is only one landline to the house and all three residents take messages for each
other. They all also have mobile phones.
- Colin
and his father keep their food in the fridge in the garage. Mr Ingram cooks for
himself. Mrs Ingram said Mr Ingram cooks for
her if she is really sick. She
would only cook for him if all the family was together. Mr Ingram might buy Mrs
Ingram a bread roll
and he might make a meal for her, although he could not
remember when this last occurred. Mrs Ingram cooks very little whereas he
will
cook steak and the like for himself, but Mrs Ingram does not like his food. Mrs
Ingram thought they last ate together, other
than on family occasions, about 10
years ago. Colin said they each prepare their own meals and never eat together.
- Mr
Ingram said that Mrs Ingram performs most of the household chores. In his
evidence he said that if Mrs Ingram "gets in a cleaning
mood" then she might
clean everything. In April 2007 he told Centrelink that Mrs Ingram did
“everything” and that he
only helped in emergencies. In contrast,
Colin said that Mr Ingram did nearly all the cleaning, whereas Mrs Ingram said
that each
of them cleans their own area, and, as to the kitchen, each cleans up
after their use.
- Mr
Ingram said he washes his own clothes. He told the SSAT that Mrs Ingram washes
larger items for him such as towels and sheets.
- Mr
Ingram also provides some ongoing assistance to his mother-in-law, eg gardening,
battery changes and minor electrical work. She
has been told nothing about Mr
and Mr Ingram’s relationship as she is 85, and she herself experienced a
broken marriage.
SOCIAL ASPECTS OF THE RELATIONSHIP
- Mr
Ingram said he and Mrs Ingram do not socialise together. He said they have no
mutual friends; in fact his only friend is Mr Chessell.
He is unaware who Mrs
Ingram's friends might be. She is a "loner". She may tell him if she is going
out or he might notice that
her car was gone. Sometimes he might drive her.
Mrs Ingram said the only places they go to together are the doctor or the
bank.
- Mr
Ingram told Centrelink in April 2007 that while their children were aware of
their separation, the grandchildren were not. Both
Mrs Ingram and Colin said
the grandchildren did know.
- Mr
Ingram said that while he is involved in the soccer club, he has no idea if he
is regarded as married or single by the people there.
He will go to
presentations on his own.
- They
never send or receive Christmas cards together. Mr Ingram said that in their
family, presents are just provided and the source
of the gift is not
acknowledged. This was contrary to what he told Centrelink in April 2007,
namely that he buys presents “from
the both of [Mr and Mrs Ingram] –
Nan and GrandDad”. Mrs Ingram said she buys presents.
- Mr
Ingram went overseas with his daughter Michelle and her two children in 2000 or
2001, and Mrs Ingram went as well to help with
the children, and allegedly paid
for herself. Mrs Ingram said she could not remember the trip but agreed they
had been away for
a few weeks, travelling together by car or bus and eating
their meals together, taking it in turns to meet expenses.
- In
November 2004 Mr and Mrs Ingram again travelled overseas on holidays together.
Mrs Ingram had intended to go overseas with Michelle,
and Mr Ingram was going to
stay home and mind Michelle’s children. At the last minute Michelle was
unable to go and, as he
thought Mrs Ingram needed a holiday, he went with her.
He held out some hope for reconciliation, but that did not occur. Mrs Ingram
said that Mr Ingram had gone to “help [her] around” and that they
had spent little time together.
- Much
of their daily lives appear to revolve around the care of their grandchildren
who visit frequently. Mr Ingram said that the
grandchildren have "taken
over” his life and his time revolves around transporting them to
activities, collecting them from
school or minding them if they are sick. He
might take them out of the house. He took several to Sussex Inlet last January
during
the holidays. Mrs Ingram did not attend. He said the grandchildren are
"too much" for Mrs Ingram. If she has them for more than
a few minutes she
"stresses out". He is the one who helps them with their homework and Mrs Ingram
has little involvement with them.
Mrs Ingram gave no indication of this in her
evidence.
SEXUAL RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE PEOPLE
- Mr
Ingram said that he and Mrs Ingram have not had a sexual relationship for some
years. Mrs Ingram, he said, does not like anyone
touching her.
- There
is no evidence and no claim that either one of the parties is involved in any
other relationship.
NATURE OF THE PEOPLE’S COMMITMENT TO
EACH OTHER
- Mr
and Mrs Ingram were not divorced until mid 2007, after Centrelink’s
investigation into the relationship commenced. He said
he started divorce
proceedings when he finally gave up all hope of reconciliation. Mrs
Ingram explained their having moved in together was on the basis that “he
wanted to look after [me]”, but she does
not know “what he gets out
of it”. There had been no “cataclysmic” event that led to
separation, just a
slow drifting apart. Mr Ingram said he thought his
relationship with his wife was “finally over” at the end of 2003,
although this is at odds with his professed hope for reconciliation in November
2004 and his decision to commence divorce proceedings
in 2007.
- Colin
was not surprised by his parents’ decision to divorce; it just “made
it official”. Colin thought his parents
were “friends”. Mrs
Ingram, on the other hand said she wanted nothing to do with Mr Ingram and that
she had no love
or affection for him.
- Colin
regards his mother as “temperamental” and he has seen his parents
argue, but his father just walks away. He had
never observed any violence. He
thought they were “in the process” of separating before they moved
into the house.
Mrs Ingram also said this was the case. When they moved in
they drifted further apart.
- Mrs
Ingram said that after the divorce they “can’t” do anything
together.
- Mr
Ingram said they may argue over things such as his thinking that she needs to
see a doctor or that she is going out when he does
not think she is well enough
to go. He described these as “a carer’s concern”.
- Dr
Watts gave evidence that Mr and Mrs Ingram are both his patients. Although he
had not seen them in their home, he knew them to
have been separated “for
some years”. He thought Mrs Ingram had become a little more dependent on
Mr Ingram since her
brain surgery in March 2004 and, although Mr Ingram had
previously mentioned moving away, when Mrs Ingram needed a significant level
of
care Mr Ingram did not discuss it again. He does not now know what level of
care Mrs Ingram may now require, although he is her
GP. He could not recall,
for example, if Mrs Ingram has a disabled parking permit.
- Mr
Ingram agreed he had told Centrelink in 2002 in a partners’ details form,
that he was married to, as distinct from separated
from, Mrs Ingram. He said
that “carer” was actually a more apt description. He said he had
provided care to her for
years, but had applied for and received carer’s
pension from 16 August 2007, shortly after their divorce (which took effect
on
26 July 2007). He said he had told Mrs Ingram that he would not abandon her.
- As
Mrs Ingram’s carer he said he provides close personal care to her on a
daily basis, including intimate tasks such as assisting
her with showering and
dressing if necessary. From his statement to Centrelink in April 2007, this
role commenced following Mrs
Ingram’s foot operation that month. By the
end of July 2007 she still had limited mobility. Nowadays she does not require
a walking stick. He takes her to the doctor. He runs errands for her and
occasionally cooks for her. He rarely needs to help her
at night. Colin also
said that his father is his mother’s carer.
- It
was noted in the separation details form dated 10 January 2004 (but lodged with
Centrelink on 24 May 2004) that they had separated
on 9 January 2004. The
circumstances leading to the separation were written as “AVO”. When
asked about it Mr Ingram
said that Mrs Ingram had “cut herself”, he
had taken her to the hospital, and because stitches were required the police
were called. She was heavily medicated, he said, and blamed him. In fact they
had argued, Mr Ingram had waved a knife around and
Mrs Ingram was, as a result,
cut. He was charged with assault and, although Mrs Ingram gave evidence, the
matter was dismissed.
Mr Ingram said it was an accident. He apologised and Mrs
Ingram said she was still prepared to have him in the home afterwards
because
she needed his help.
- Mrs
Ingram said that Mr Ingram does what she wants him to do. She, on the other
hand, will do “hardly anything” for him.
In February 2002 Mr Ingram
told Centrelink that he would only assist Mrs Ingram in an emergency and
considered that she would probably
provide little or no assistance to Mr Ingram
if he were ill. Colin’s evidence was that when Mr Ingram had a skin
problem it
was he, and not his mother, who arranged a nurse to change the
dressing.
- Mr
Ingram also wrote that Mrs Ingram would provide no assistance to Mr Ingram in
the event of a personal crisis in family disputes
or in money matters. In fact
though, Mrs Ingram provides accommodation to him rent free.
CONCLUSION
- Determining
whether a relationship is “marriage-like” is a difficult task. As I
said in Re Secretary, Department of Employment and Workplace Relations
and Sperring [2007] AATA 1050 at [70], each matter is different. No two
relationships, however described, will be the same. The assessment is made
somewhat easier by
the commonsense criteria identified in the legislation, as
addressed above.
- There
are a number of factors, looking at the material objectively, that point to Mr
and Mrs Ingram being a couple. At the same time
there are a number of factors
that suggest they are not. I must weigh these factors.
- Having
said that, I found the evidence of their financial arrangements to be
particularly persuasive. Together Mr and Mrs Ingram
control a trust which owns
an unencumbered property, and they are the beneficiaries of each other’s
wills and possibly superannuation.
They have structured their finances so that
Mrs Ingram owns the home, although arguably Mr Ingram has a life interest in it.
Up
until relatively recently they had a joint bank account. They have taken few
steps to disentangle their financial affairs. Mr Ingram
made some effort to
explain their financial arrangement on the basis that he did not expect to live
long. I do not accept this to
be the case. While he gave some evidence of
having some reduced hearing capacity, spurs on his feet, some neck and back
problems,
some intestinal and liver problems and diabetes mellitus, there was no
evidence whatever of reduced life expectancy. Indeed, the
focus in health
matters was as to Mrs Ingram’s condition, and Mr Ingram’s perceived
obligations in caring for her.
- The
evidence was that Mr and Mrs Ingram’s relationship had deteriorated over
the years and that from the time they moved into
the new house they lived
separate lives. There may have been some domestic violence.
- It
is therefore difficult to see why it was not until May 2004 that Mr Ingram
notified Centrelink that he and Mrs Ingram had separated.
I note too that in
that advice Mr Ingram had set out the information about his new address in a
manner that was likely to, and did
in fact, lead Centrelink to believe that he
had moved out of the matrimonial home. It was only much later – in April
2007
– that it was clarified that it was the same property. I also
observe that in the notification of separation Mr Ingram provided
his
daughter’s telephone number as his contact, in circumstances where he had
a mobile phone, as did Colin, who lived in the
house at least some of the time,
and, most significantly, there was a landline at the home and that everyone
takes messages for each
other. To me this suggests some contrivance in the
information provided to Centrelink.
- Mr
and Mrs Ingram live in the same house, with limited common areas. They have
separate entrances, although from the diagram provided,
this does not seem
particularly convenient, and there is some artificiality about this. Also, I do
not accept the reason given for
the peculiar arrangement of 2 letterboxes.
Again this seems somewhat artificial.
- As
to household expenses, Mrs Ingram pays all the household expenses. In return,
accommodation is provided to Mr Ingram and he cares
for Mrs Ingram. They each
mostly pay for their own food. It was unclear who actually does the housework,
with Mr Ingram, Mrs Ingram
and Colin all giving differing accounts.
- Mr
and Mrs Ingram provide a lot of support to their adult children, through
assisting several times a week in caring for the grandchildren.
Mr Ingram
attends to their sporting and more boisterous activities, while Mrs Ingram
provides more care in the home. They provide
financial support through the
trust, which I find they manage jointly.
- They
have no mutual friends, and according to Mr Ingram his only friend is Mr
Chessell. Mrs Ingram apparently prefers to keep largely
to herself. I accept
that they make no secret of their separation, but there is little opportunity to
make the details of their
relationship known to others outside the family.
- The
evidence was that, although it had not been their initial intention, Mr and Mrs
Ingram holidayed together in 2000 or 2001 (extensively)
and again in November
2004. Mr Ingram’s evidence was that he held out some hope of
reconciliation up till the latter trip.
- Again,
it is unclear in these circumstances why no action was taken to commence divorce
proceedings at that time. I note with concern
the record that Mr Ingram told
the SSAT that he and Mrs Ingram had divorced in 2007 “for your [i.e.
Centrelink’s] purposes
mainly”.
- Mr
and Mrs Ingram were married for 40 years and divorced in 2007. Divorce is not
necessarily indicative that a couple is not living
in a marriage-like
relationship: Mould and Department of Family and Community Services
[2001] AATA 388. There, as here, the couple continued to live together in a
similar manner as they did when they were married.
- The
most problematic aspect of the evidence was as to Mr Ingram’s role as Mrs
Ingram’s carer. Mrs Ingram was diagnosed
with trigeminal neuralgia in
2000. She underwent surgery in April 2004 which was partially successful. She
also has some unspecified
foot condition. Details of the extent to which her
conditions are in fact debilitating were scarce. That she is able to cook for
herself, clean (sometimes the whole house), do the washing and drive her own car
– probably without a disabled parking permit
– suggests that her
condition was not as debilitating as might be suggested.
- The
relationship between them, however described, is neither happy nor
conventional, but the arrangement, particularly with regard to the financial and
residential aspects, is apparently
satisfactory to both of them. There is a
high level of emotional support at least by Mr Ingram to Mrs Ingram, which, in
my view,
goes beyond his role of carer; in particular, that he told her he would
never abandon her, and he stressed that he needed to look
after her. There is
no indication that the arrangement will not continue indefinitely, and I do not
accept that Mr Ingram is actively
looking for alternative accommodation, given
his concerns about needing to be near Mrs Ingram and the grandchildren.
- On
balance, weighing up the objective evidence in respect of each factor, I have
come to the view that Mr Ingram should be regarded
as a member of a couple for
the entire relevant period.
DECISION
- The
Administrative Appeals Tribunal affirms the decision under review.
I certify that the 67 preceding paragraphs are a true copy of the
reasons for the decision herein of Ms N Isenberg, Senior Member.
Signed:
.............[sgd]...................................................................
Associate
Dates of Hearing 11 November 2008 and 11 December 2008
Date of Decision 9 January 2009
Advocate for the Applicant Self-represented
Solicitor
for the Respondent Ms H Schuster, Centrelink Legal Services
Annexure A
Exhibit List
A1 – Photos, maps and deposited plan of the house in which the
Applicant resides.
A2 – Undated letter from Michelle Boyd.
A3 – Letter from Colin Ingram dated 1.9.08.
A4 – Letter dated “4th day 2003”
signed “Mum”.
A5 – Letter from Gordon Chessell dated 30.8.08.
A6 – Medical certificate by Dr Watts dated 28.7.08.
A7 – Leaflets and a Wikipedia printout regarding
“Tegretol®”, “Neurontin” and “Trigeminal
Neuralgia”.
A8 – List of Applicant’s activities with his grandchildren.
A9 – Bank account details.
Section 37 Documents – T1-T34
Supplementary Section 37 Documents – T35-T66
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