FCAWA 2011 CONFERENCE Coming Together is a Beginning. Keeping Together is Progress. Working Together is Success. Bulk Debt Negotiations Dennis Nelthorpe OAM-Footscray Legal Centre 1
FCAWA 2011 CONFERENCEComing Together is a Beginning. Keeping
Together is Progress. Working Together is Success.
Bulk Debt Negotiations
Dennis Nelthorpe OAM-Footscray Legal
Centre1
Denis Nelthorpe, West Heidelberg CLSJulie Maron , Legal Aid NSW
Aimee Cooper, Victoria Legal Aid
September 2011
Centrelink recipients – no assets
Multiple problems including:◦ Homelessness or threat of eviction◦ Mental illness◦ Illness and chronic ill health◦ Alcohol and drug addiction
Clients with serious social problems and some associated debt
Not Debtors with associated social problems
Purpose of Centrelink Payments◦ Keep a roof over head!◦ Keep food in the fridge!◦ Keep the lights on!
Centrelink Income is Protected◦ Section 60 Social Security (Admin) 1991◦ Section 12 JDRA (Vic)
Best Practice in Debt Negotiation◦ Effective and efficient use of resources◦ Financial Counselling is a valuable resource
Financial Counsellors are subject to rules from:
Governments, Regulators, Ombudsman Creditors and Debt Collectors Hardship teams Community Agencies + Funders
Periods of Hardship – internal accounting definitions
Prudential definitions of hardship – an urban myth - Unrelated to client hardship
Capacity to negotiate – are they “allowed”?
Working to a script – Don’t participate
A Financial Counsellor is entitled to expect:
◦ A competent negotiator – two way discussion◦ A knowledge of hardship + Centrelink
Refuse to negotiate with unqualified staff◦ Seek a manager or IDR
Provide an authority once - only
Refuse to provide unnecessary information
Financial profiles are often unnecessary – refer to SACOSS statistics on costs of living
Centrelink Statements contain required information.
12 months expanded project
WH CLC, VLA, NSW LA
National collection through website
450 Agencies and workers registered to participate
A total of 1494 debts collected = $7.4 million
Credit Corp 242 debts Baycorp 240 debts GE Finance 353 debts ACMS 182 debts Telstra 341 debts AGL 126 debts
Next Round of Collections Likely to begin in late February 2012 Concentration on Banks:
◦ CBA + Westpac◦ Citibank + HBSC Debt Collection companies:◦ Collection House – Lion Finance Utilities –May depend on funding +
partners:◦ Origin + TXU◦ Optus + Vodafone
EDR financial hardship submissions– Application to EDR based on financial hardship– Acknowledgement Centrelink income protected– Acknowledgement client can’t pay– Finding that it is not fair or reasonable to continue
to contact the debtor – Creditor required to advise any debt-buyer– Limit contact with the debtor - only to determine
whether their circumstances have changed