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The Latest Breaking News from Social Services

Christian Porter tells inquiry ‘someone’ in department assured him robodebt was legal but ‘I can’t recall who’

Former social services minister and attorney general also says he accepts some responsibility for the scandal

The Guardian - AU

'Historic' plans to combat child abuse and neglect

Two 10-year national action plans aim to reduce the number of children needing child protection services, improve responses to abuse and help close the gap.

AAP

Robodebt inquiry hears claim social services official ‘sat on’ damning external legal advice about scheme

Former mid-level official Kristin Lumley says she believed there was ‘inaction’ from her boss and it would ‘end up in federal court’

The Guardian - AU

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Foster care changes the lives of NI mum and toddler after domestic abuse

"My daughter would not be in my care if it wasn’t for them"

Belfast Live

Former minister to front robodebt inquiry

Former foreign minister Marise Payne will appear at a royal commission into the failed robodebt scheme she helped launch.

AAP

ATO 'passive' in providing robodebt data

Senior ATO staff failed to pursue concerns about the robodebt program despite sensing issues with how the personal tax information it provided was being used.

AAP

Probe into disability service rating error

The social services minister has launched an investigation into a coding error which impacted performance ratings of disability employment service providers.

AAP

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Department 'anger' over robodebt scheme

A former Department of Social Services official has denied endorsing the robodebt process in correspondence with the ombudsman's office in 2017.

AAP

Top officials shut down robodebt criticism

A senior public servant has told the robodebt royal commission he was instructed to not "go in so hard" questioning the legality of the disastrous scheme.

AAP

Welfare, study payments to increase

The social services minister says boosts to welfare payments indexed by up to $20 a week will help vulnerable people keep up with the rising cost of living.

AAP

Seniors to earn more without pension cut

New measures to allow older Australians to earn more before their pension gets cut will come into effect on Thursday.

AAP

Fair go push on parental leave

Employers are being urged to offer equal parental leave to mothers and fathers as the federal government looks to increase time off among men.

AAP

Former Department of Human Services secretary tells royal commission she had a 'lack of curiosity' regarding Robodebt lawfulness

The top bureaucrat at the department responsible for the unlawful Robodebt scheme tells the royal commission it was a "significant failure of public administration".

ABC News

Social Services Minister Amanda Rishworth tells National Press Club of government's pledge to end domestic violence within 'one generation'

Social Services Minister Amanda Rishworth says it's time to "stop shying away" from evidence that shows men are overwhelmingly the perpetrators of domestic, family, and sexual violence.

ABC News

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AAP

Further gambling law reform still to come

Social Services Minister Amanda Rishworth says she will work with her state and territory counterparts to determine the next steps of gambling law reform.

AAP

Extra funds to support violence survivors

Social Services Minister Amanda Rishworth has announced additional funding for safe places for women and children who need to leave violent situations.

ABC News

Lawyers 'appeared to come under pressure' from then-social services minister Scott Morrison to provide Robodebt advice, inquiry is told

A commission of inquiry had been shown emails between the lawyers within the Social Services Department in 2015 relating to a draft brief being prepared for then social services minister Scott Morrison.

ABC News

JobSeeker has kept recipients below the poverty line for years, but advocates say they've never been worse off

As food prices and living costs rise, social services advocates say they've never seen Australians on JobSeeker struggling this much.

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ABC News

Governments release joint strategy seeking to end violence against women and children within a generation

The commitment is at the centre of a new, 10-year national strategy released by Social Services Minister Amanda Rishworth, designed to coordinate federal and state action to eliminate gender-based violence.

ABC News

Robodebt cases dumped and debts wiped amid royal commission into controversial scheme

Social Services Minister Amanda Rishworth says the outstanding "Robodebt" cases will be ended, as the federal government tries to clear the final remnants of the highly criticised system.

Irish Mirror

Baby 'doing shots of vodka' in abhorrent video as investigation launched

A woman can be heard laughing as she pours what appears to be vodka from the glass bottle into the lid and gives the drink to a baby girl on her lap. Social services have confirmed an investigation has been launched and the youngster is now being 'safeguarded'.

Daily Mirror

Brit baby 'doing shots of vodka' seen in horrifying clip as police launch probe

A woman can be heard laughing as she pours the highly intoxicating spirit from the glass bottle into the lid and gives the drink to a young girl on her lap as North Wales Police and social services confirm an investigation has been launched and the youngster is now being…

AAP

Government to cut up cashless welfare card

The federal government is moving to dump the cashless welfare debit card and make income management voluntary in the communities where it was trialled.

AAP

Research sheds light on sexual violence

New research has revealed a rate of sexual violence against Australian women that is disturbingly higher than previously reported.

Daily Mirror

EastEnders fans fume over huge blunder as scheming Janine gets Linda's baby taken away

EastEnders fans criticised the soap over a big blunder, as Linda Carter got her baby taken away by social services because of scheming Janine Butcher

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