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The Latest Breaking News from Centrepay

Battlers overcharged millions by monopoly power utility

A power monopoly raked in millions of dollars from Centrelink customers by continuing to draw payments after their accounts were closed, a watchdog has found.

AAP

Energy giant AGL disputes $25m fine for wrongly taking welfare money from hundreds as ‘excessive’

Exclusive: Court documents obtained by Guardian Australia show appeal argues judge was wrong to decide penalty was needed to ‘provoke’ leadership attention

The Guardian - AU

‘Someone senior’ should be held accountable after AGL handed record $25m fine, Shorten says

Government services minister says case is ‘very significant victory’ for the regulator, which brought the case against the energy company

The Guardian - AU

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AGL kept taking money from welfare recipients via Centrepay years after promising to stop, court hears

Energy giant executive admits in court company was ‘absolutely wrong’ not to compensate ex-customers it took money from

The Guardian - AU

Morning Mail: predatory Centrepay operators to be barred, sex workers face discrimination, Syria hits back at rebel advance

Rent-to-buy lenders face ban; offensive continues to take ground

The Guardian - AU

Predatory rent-to-buy operators barred from Centrepay debit system in sweeping Albanese government reforms

Exclusive: ‘High-risk services’ will be removed, including companies providing consumer leases and household goods

The Guardian - AU

Morning Mail: senator’s X post targeted by eSafety, Higgins’ home for sale, waratah in danger

Tweet by UAP’s Ralph Babet about Wakeley church stabbing was among those that X was asked to delete

The Guardian - AU

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Regulator may take action against three energy retailers over alleged misuse of Centrepay system

Australian Energy Regulator weighs up enforcement options against AGL, Origin and Ergon Energy after landmark court win

The Guardian - AU

AGL breached rules 16,000 times in wrongly taking welfare money from hundreds of people, court rules

Landmark federal court judgment could trigger proceedings against three other energy retailers

The Guardian - AU

AGL overcharged customers after services were stopped

A Federal Court judge has ruled against energy provider AGL, finding it contravened national rules by overcharging customers.

AAP

Guardian Australia wins award for series exposing economic abuse at Centrepay

Reporters Christopher Knaus and Lorena Allam win outstanding consumer affairs category at Kennedy Foundation awards for excellence in journalism

The Guardian - AU

Morning Mail: Kamala Harris makes VP pick, 13 new endangered species revealed, Australian teen wins skateboard gold

Harris opts for Minnesota governor as her running mate; victory for Arisa Trew in park event

The Guardian - AU

Centrepay report that found major failings ‘ignored’ by successive Coalition governments, author says

Anna Buduls says her 2013 report, which found major failings with controversial debit system, was mostly forgotten about

The Guardian - AU

Media exposure has forced the government’s hand on Centrepay. The contrast with robodebt could not be more stark

The Centrepay revelations should shock Australians – but not the government, after years of complaints about financial exploitation

The Guardian - AU

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The Guardian - AU

Consumer watchdog urges crackdown on businesses using Centrepay to cause financial harm

It is alleged energy companies deducted money from welfare payments of people, including Indigenous Australians, who were no longer customers

The Guardian - AU

Corporate regulator urges crackdown on Centrepay after more than 40% of businesses found to be non-compliant

Asic alarmed at commonwealth finding that almost half of companies investigated failed to follow standards

The Guardian - AU

‘Unscrupulous’ businesses abused Centrepay to take welfare money from dead Australians, advocacy groups claim

Advocates also detail flaws in automated debit system that prevented clients stopping their deductions

The Guardian - AU

AGL thought it was doing welfare recipients a ‘favour’ when refunding money it wrongly collected, court hears

Overpayments – many from welfare recipients – were held as credit to pay a future bill that AGL ‘knew was never coming’, federal court told

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The Guardian - AU

Origin Energy wrongly took $2.5m from nearly 3,000 ex-customers via Centrepay

Figures revealed in Senate hearing as Services Australia says the money, taken from welfare payments under the debit scheme, is being returned

The Guardian - AU

Centrepay scandal: Labor to reform debit scheme to combat ‘predatory behaviour’

Review follows Guardian Australia investigation identifying deep and ongoing failures with voluntary bill-paying service for Centrelink recipients

The Guardian - AU

Morning Mail: third energy firm linked to Centrepay scandal; inflation falling faster than forecast; fierce battles in Gaza

Another energy retailer has wrongly received money from the Centrepay debit scheme

The Guardian - AU

Centrepay scandal: energy firm Origin wrongly received funds from welfare payments of former customers

Exclusive: Company is the third supplier known to have been given payments from vulnerable Australians in cases exposed by Guardian Australia

The Guardian - AU

Financial rights advocates ‘seriously concerned’ about how Youpla support scheme will be spent

‘Disappointment’ comes after documents reveal only two-thirds of $96m will go to Indigenous victims of predatory funeral fund

The Guardian - AU

About a third of $96m ACBF-Youpla victim support scheme to be spent on administration

National Indigenous Australians Agency and Services Australia will receive about $30m to run program for Aboriginal victims of predatory funeral fund

The Guardian - AU

AGL’s use of Centrepay not audited for two years despite allegations it wrongly took $700,000 from vulnerable Australians

Exclusive: Services Australia says it is also working to retrieve overpayments from Queensland’s Ergon Energy

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