Two people were jailed for welfare debts that Centrelink may have calculated unlawfully The cases are probably wrongful convictions and prosecutors should facilitate appeals, a legal expert says The Guardian - AU · Dec 6, 2023
Centrelink should consider waiving 100,000 debts that may be unlawful, ombudsman report finds Watchdog says Services Australia and the Department of Social Services ‘did not act promptly’ to address the issue and calls on agencies to apologise The Guardian - AU · Dec 4, 2023
Welfare recipients made to sweat on miscalculated debts Public servants responsible for welfare payments have been told to hurry up and rectify the situation for those who were slugged with unlawful Centrelink debt. AAP · Dec 3, 2023
For domestic violence victim-survivors, a data or privacy breach can be extraordinarily dangerous A suite of recent cybersecurity data breaches highlight an urgent need to overhaul how companies and government agencies handle our data. But these incidents pose particular risks to victim-survivors of domestic violence. The Conversation · Dec 3, 2023
Medicare Rebates Totalling More Than $230 Million Still Need To Be Claimed By Aussies You might be owed a good chunk of cash. Pedestrian.tv · Nov 29, 2023
Fresh appeal in battle over secret robodebt documents The release of potentially explosive government documents on the illegal robodebt scheme is being sought in an appeal against a ruling to keep them under wraps. AAP · Nov 29, 2023
Marie had cancer and needed to reach Centrelink. Like millions of Australians, she couldn’t get through More unanswered calls, growing delays for payments to be processed, all while staff head for the exit. Is Centrelink facing a new crisis? The Guardian - AU · Nov 18, 2023
Robodebt royal commission: Labor accepts all 56 recommendations in full or in principle Albanese government releases formal response to Catherine Holmes’s inquiry into Centrelink debt recovery scheme The Guardian - AU · Nov 13, 2023
Centrelink Is In A Crisis With No End In Sight As Almost 20% Of Staff Are Ready To Resign Staff morale is at an all time low, with almost 200 resignations a month. Pedestrian.tv · Nov 9, 2023
Up to 180 staff leaving Services Australia each month amid growing delays for Centrelink services Greens senator Janet Rice says welfare agency in crisis after Senate hears nearly 20% plan to depart in next 12 months The Guardian - AU · Nov 7, 2023
Staffing boost returns humans to Centrelink services Thousands more frontline workers are being hired to improve Centrelink and Medicare services, in line with recommendations from the robodebt royal commission. AAP · Nov 5, 2023
Services Australia targets call wait times with 3000 extra staff About 500 staff will be in Canberra. The Canberra Times · Nov 5, 2023
Centrelink officials recalled to Senate estimates after failing to answer ‘basic questions’ Request for welfare agency to return on 7 November follows ‘unnaceptable’ October hearing about growing call and payment wait times The Guardian - AU · Nov 2, 2023
Dozens of Centrelink fraud prosecutions dropped due to unlawful welfare debt calculations Services Australia and prosecutors are unable to say exactly how many past convictions may be affected The Guardian - AU · Nov 1, 2023
Pedestrian.tv · Oct 31, 2023 Centrelink Pauses 86,000 Debts Due To ‘Unlawful’ Miscalculations & Anyone Else Got Robo-Déjà vu? Centrelink have put the debt repayments of 86,000 recipients on pause after an investigation found it breached security law.
The Guardian - AU · Oct 30, 2023 Services Australia forced to pause Centrelink debt repayments for 86,000 people amid legality concerns Debt pause comes after watchdog found historical ‘income apportionment’ method breached social security law
The Guardian - AU · Oct 26, 2023 Majority of Centrelink payments facing significant delays since Labor took office New documents reveal 27 of 32 claim types including jobseeker experiencing blowout in wait times after return to pre-pandemic staffing levels
The Guardian - AU · Oct 25, 2023 Centrelink issues 2.8m busy messages to callers in only two months as wait times blow out Crossbench MPs raise alarm with minister as Services Australia data shows only 23% of calls were answered in July and August
AAP · Oct 25, 2023 Busy message greets one-in-five welfare agency callers Millions of people making calls for help to Services Australia are hanging up in frustration after being left hanging on the telephone.
The Guardian - AU · Oct 23, 2023 Centrelink jobseeker payments suspended more than 450,000 times in three months Exclusive: New figures reveal mutual obligations system responsible for the vast majority of welfare suspensions
The Guardian - AU · Oct 9, 2023 Afternoon Update: Australia urges restraint in Israel-Palestine; Services Australia staff strike; and China’s shift away from the west The Australian government has urged for civilian lives to be protected during Israel-Palestine conflict
The Canberra Times · Sep 17, 2023 Meet the public service agency that is 'too nice' It turns out having a friendly workplace isn't always a good thing.
The Canberra Times · Sep 10, 2023 CPSU split on APS-wide pay bargaining, as some members call for more aggressive approach Section of union pushes to reject 11.2 per cent offer.
The Guardian - AU · Sep 8, 2023 Marise Payne to quit parliament – as it happened This blog is now closed.
Newcastle Herald · Sep 8, 2023 'Unfair toll on you': Services Australia boss says sorry to staff for robodebt 'You deserve an apology from your agency,' Ms Skinner told staff.