Robodebt scheme

Instead of restoring trust in the public service and politics, the National Anti-Corruption Commission聽has shown it prefers to be impotent, argues Binoy Kampmark.

Labor claims its amendments to strengthen the welfare safety net聽are 鈥渟tructural鈥 and 鈥渃alibrated鈥. But the changes are not enough to lift people out of poverty. Leo Earle reports.

The Robodebt letters were deliberately designed without a phone number for people聽to call, the intention being that they quietly聽pay up online. Peter Martin reports on the sinister science behind such decisions.

Jenin refugee camp attack, riots in France & Robodebt royal commission

麻豆传媒 journalist Isaac Nellist and refugee rights activist Chloe DS聽go through the latest news from Australia and around the world.

While the Royal Commission report into Robodebt did not聽recommend systemic compensation to the victims, it did聽suggest聽lifting the rate for social security benefits. Alex Bainbridge reports.

If ever there was an instance of hideous failing in government policy, the cruel, inept and vicious Robodebt program would have to be one of them. Binoy Kampmark reports.

The Robodebt royal commission has revealed that lower level Centrelink workers were telling their bosses that the system was wrong and cruel. They were not listened to, writes Sue Bolton.

Robotic hand with centrelink logo. Background is a pile of gold coins

It seems like no government official or senior public servant realised the Robodebt scheme was illegal, but the idea that the Coalition government didn鈥檛 know exactly what it was doing is preposterous, argues Zane Alcorn.

The Labor government is pushing ahead with a new debt-collecting system and a points-based mutual obligations聽system, despite welfare groups聽advising that both will harm聽job seekers. Paul Gregoire reports.

Penalising welfare recipients is standard operating procedure for the federal government and despite the 鈥渞obodebt鈥 scandal, this practice is set to continue, writes Pip Hinman.

The tide appears to be turning against the federal government鈥檚 punitive robodebt scheme, reports Kerry Smith.

About 200 people rallied in Melbourne on January 31 against the Turnbull Government's new practice of sending computer-generated debt notices to people who have received or are receiving Centrelink payments.

Up to 90% of these debt notices are false. Many people have received debt notices demanding they repay thousands of dollars that they dispute owing. Centrelink staff have been instructed not to fix any obvious errors unless the person complains.