4 years ago
GOVERNMENT MUST SCRAP ROBODEBT
BILL SHORTEN MP
The Government’s robodebt scheme is so seriously malfunctioning it must be scrapped.
Revelations from a mourning mother that her disability pensioner son continued to be hounded over an alleged debt even after his death should shame Government Services Minister Stuart Robert to finally act and address the problems at the heart of this scheme.
We recognise the right of government to recoup legitimate debts that are owed. But robodebt is not that, it is a mess -
Revelations from a mourning mother that her disability pensioner son continued to be hounded over an alleged debt even after his death should shame Government Services Minister Stuart Robert to finally act and address the problems at the heart of this scheme.
We recognise the right of government to recoup legitimate debts that are owed. But robodebt is not that, it is a mess -
- It is inaccurate: the computerised calculation is claiming false debts that when challenged have led to more than 100,000 claims being changed. (The inaccuracies not only relate to the amount of money owed but have extended to clients’ student histories.)
- The operation of that computerised calculation has little to no human oversight. Centrelink officers act to enforce the debt number but apparently do not check that it is correct.
- Recipients of debt notices are given no evidence or detail of how the figure claimed is arrived at.
- The onus of proof is reversed meaning recipients must prove they do not owe the amount of money being claimed. (With many of the debts claimed several years old this can be a painstaking and torturous process of trying to obtain historical statements from banks.)
The Minister will not concede any of this is a problem. Yet robodebt is not just inaccurate. It is being enforced in a harsh and cruel way and we now know it is being driven from above.
The ABC’s 7.30 Report has revealed Centrelink compliance officers are being pushed on their “daily targets” and “individual and team performance.” It is increasingly clear that this Government intends to balance the books on the backs of some of our most needy and vulnerable people.
It is not just Bruce McCardel’s mum Anastasia. Every day brings another Robodebt horror story.
- There is Norm Austwick, a recently widowed 79-year-old who was hounded for $67.55 from last century (1998) that he never actually owed. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-07-27/pensioner-hit-with-67-dollar-centrelink-debt-from-last-century/11350180
- We have a Government Minister contradicting a member of her Department and the Townsville Community Legal Centre in denying robodebt has been unleashed in flood-ravaged Townsville. https://www.townsvillebulletin.com.au/news/townsville/minister-claims-centrelink-debt-recovery-not-happening-in-townsville-despite-evidence/news-story/2fa8767ec7c188213890577488e9cd6b
- There is that disturbing statistic from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare where at least 429 Australians under 35 have died after receiving a robodebt notice. https://www.abc.net.au/triplej/programs/hack/2030-people-have-died-after-receiving-centrelink-robodebt-notice/10821272
- Lawyers for the Department of Human Services admitted in court on Friday the Government agency got it "wrong" as the legality of the whole robodebt scheme faces scrutiny in two Federal Court actions. https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/government-lawyers-admit-robo-debt-error-during-federal-court-action-20190726-p52b3v.html
Robodebt is inaccurate, harsh and unfair. It is a system that is malfunctioning and the Minister needs to go back to the drawing board.
He should no longer ignore the trail of human heartache that is occurring in robodebt’s wake.