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The Latest Breaking News from Services Australia

‘I just kept paying’: Indigenous people are being exploited by businesses using Centrepay debit scheme

Many of those who sign up are from regional or remote communities, speak English as a second or third language and have limited access to clothing, household goods and services

The Guardian - AU

‘I had no access’: ex-residents of controversial rehab centre say welfare payments were taken against their wishes

Guardian Australia investigation reveals role of Centrepay in controlling income of residents at WA religious centre Esther House

The Guardian - AU

Energy giant wrongly received thousands from welfare payments of former customers under Centrelink scheme

Exclusive: Calls to overhaul controversial Centrepay debit system that diverted $700,000 to AGL and helped prop up Perth-based gay conversion centre

The Guardian - AU

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Disability pension claims blew out to more than 80 days on average at the end of last year, data reveals

Department of Social Services figures show some areas had average wait times of more than 200 days between September and December

The Guardian - AU

Brain tumour patient had Centrelink payments suspended while in hospital recovering from surgery

Australian Council of Social Service says ‘unconscionable’ case shows why mutual obligations system must be ‘replaced with a fair system’ for jobseekers

The Guardian - AU

Services Australia apologises over Centrelink call centre performance as age pension claims hit by huge delays

New data reveals backlog of 1.1m claims across all payments while around half of all calls to Centrelink went unanswered in six-month period

The Guardian - AU

More than 1m claims outstanding at Services Australia

The head of Services Australia has vowed to reduce the claims backlog at the department, with more than one million yet to be resolved.

AAP

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Jobseeker endured 11 weeks without Centrelink payments but was still forced to attend job agency appointments

Advocates say government failing to meet ‘basic obligation’ to process claims quickly after Tim McCabe spent weeks with ‘no income’

The Guardian - AU

Top Australian debt collector still operating in Victoria despite blacklisting

Exclusive: Consumer Affairs Victoria investigating Panthera, which was fined $500,000 in 2020 after pursuing debts from people who were not liable

The Guardian - AU

‘You are deceased’: Services Australia bungle results in woman losing bank accounts and pension

A 74-year-old carer was mistakenly declared dead by Centrelink two times in a case advocates describe as illustrating the ‘devastating consequences of automation’

The Guardian - AU

Australian government spent $52m more on welfare calculator after finding a more effective alternative

Services Australia paid Infosys almost $200m over four years before technology was written off as a failure

The Guardian - AU

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

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

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

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The Conversation

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.

Pedestrian.tv

Medicare Rebates Totalling More Than $230 Million Still Need To Be Claimed By Aussies

You might be owed a good chunk of cash.

AAP

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.

The Guardian - AU

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?

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The Guardian - AU

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

Pedestrian.tv

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.

The Guardian - AU

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

AAP

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.

The Canberra Times

Services Australia targets call wait times with 3000 extra staff

About 500 staff will be in Canberra.

The Guardian - AU

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

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

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People

From analysis to the latest developments in health,
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Organisations

RoboDebt Royal Commission

28 stories

the Department of Social Services

22 stories

Consumer Affairs Victoria

21 stories

Panthera

21 stories

the robodebt royal commission

21 stories

CDPP

13 stories

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