New Laws coming in for Australian pensioners!

I got a bit of a shock this morning, we are leaving Australia for a stay in Europe we don't know how long 6months or 6 years, we went to centrelink to advise them of our new address and overseas bank details, we intend leaving our house empty, because we really don't know how long we will be away!! according to centre link Toowoomba,that according to new laws and regulations coming in on the 18th of may after 6 months our house will be deemed as a capital asset and my pension could be reduced by as much as 60%,itwould be treated as if the house had been sold and that we had the cash squirrelled away in the bank, we don't know whether this is just another brainfart by a centrelink pillock but we wont hold our breath, we leave on the 19th of may,it is really mysterious it is a pleasure to deal with other foreign pension agencies, but centrelink hours on the phone just to get an appointment only to be interviewed by a pimply faced youth who has trouble reading joined up writing or so it seems anyway, has anyone else heard of these new,rules????