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Senate Inquiry Finds Tudge's robo-debt system "so flawed it was set up to fail"

22 June 2017
The Hon Linda Burney MP, Shadow Minister for Human Services, ALP Member for Barton

The Senate inquiry into Alan Tudge’s bungled robo-debt disaster has handed down a scathing report of the system, finding that it was doomed from its inception despite claims from the government that the system was “working well”.

Senate committee recommends robo-debt be put on hold and drastically overhauled

21 June 2017
Rachel Siewert, Australian Greens Senator for Western Australia

A Senate Committee report into the Government’s Centrelink Online Compliance Intervention (robo-debt) program has called for it to be put on hold until of the procedural fairness flaws in the program are addressed. The Committee a says the Government should re-assess all debts determined through the use of income averaging and that a redesigned system should include a robust risk assessment process.

Another Tudge fudge, Centrelink phone waiting times see people wait even longer

24 May 2017
The Hon Linda Burney MP, Shadow Minister for Human Services, ALP Member for Barton

For all of the Turnbull government’s tough talk about welfare cheats they are simply making it harder for people to get in contact with Centrelink when their circumstances change. This is a kick in the guts for age pensioners who have already seen their pensions cut or for those with disabilities who are already being painted as bludgers by the Turnbull government.
This wilful blindness has to end - being creative with the facts might get you out of a tough media interview but it will do nothing for honest Australians just trying to do the right thing.

Pensioners next on Turnbull's robo-debt hit-list

19 May 2017
The Hon Linda Burney MP, Shadow Minister for Human Services, ALP Member for Barton; The Hon Jenny Macklin MP, Shadow Member for Families and Social Services, ALP Member for Jagajaga

The Turnbull Government’s disastrous robo-debt system will soon target aged pensioners according to the Department of Human Services.
From 1 July this year the deeply flawed robo-debt system will seek to recoup nearly $1 billion from the pockets of pensioners.

Tudge backflips on Centrelink robo-debt debacle

16 May 2017
The Hon Linda Burney MP, Shadow Minister for Human Services, ALP Member for Barton

Shadow Minister for Human Services, Linda Burney, has called on Alan Tudge to apologise to those caught in his robo-debt mess following his concession in media reports this morning that changes need to be made.
The stunning admission comes just a week after the Minister returned from holidays and insisted that no changes would be made and that “the system [was] working well”.

AFP decides Labor’s claims not worth investigating

8 May 2017
The Hon Alan Tudge MP, Minister for Human Services, Liberal Member for Aston

The Australian Federal Police will not be pursuing Labor's allegations that I broke privacy law.
The AFP evaluated the referral from the Labor Party. The Labor Party alleged that I had disclosed protected information without authorisation. The AFP has today advised that it will not be investigating further.

Tasmanians to get their say on Tudge's bungled robo-debt system

26 April 2017
The Hon Linda Burney MP, Shadow Minister for Human Services, ALP Member for Barton

The senate inquiry into Alan Tudge’s bungled robo-debt system will hear first hand from Tasmanians over the next week as hearings are held in Hobart today and Launceston on Thursday.
The inquiry is expected to hear that despite Mr Tudge’s claims that the system is working well, it has actually been a disaster for the most vulnerable Tasmanians.

‘An abject failure’ – we give evidence on Centrelink’s robo-debt scheme to Senate inquiry

11 April 2017
Victoria Legal Aid

In Tuesday’s hearing of the Senate inquiry into Centrelink’s automated data-matching initiative, we called for the flawed scheme to be immediately abandoned.
Our Managing Director Bevan Warner said the scheme is "an abject failure. It is hurting people. It will continue to undermine the integrity of the social welfare system it is meant to be improving. It is arguably unlawful, and even if it is lawful, it shouldn’t be."

Senate inquiry shows Centrelink recipients feel bullied and threatened by the Government

11 April 2017
Rachel Siewert, Australian Greens Senator for Western Australia

The last two days of evidence to the senate inquiry into Centrelink’s automated debt recovery system has raised a myriad of issues and suggests recipients feel bullied by the Government who are pursuing a debt that people may not owe.

Robo-debt is not "working well" according to Ombudsman

10 April 2017
The Hon Linda Burney MP, Shadow Minister for Human Services, ALP Member for Barton

The robo-debt system has been plagued by poor administration and a failure of Centrelink to communicate adequately with customers, according to the Commonwealth Ombudsman’s report into the system released this morning.
The damning report comes despite the Minister’s insistence earlier this year that “the system is working well”.

Porter negligent on Centrelink robo-debt debacle

6 April 2017
The Hon Linda Burney MP, Shadow Minister for Human Services, ALP Member for Barton; The Hon Jenny Macklin MP, Shadow Member for Families and Social Services, ALP Member for Jagajaga

According to a Freedom of Information Request by the ABC, the Minister for Social Services, Christian Porter and his Department claim to not have been informed about the Centrelink robo-debt debacle.
The FOI request reveals that Mr Porter did not receive any written briefings, documents or analysis about the program from Centrelink or his department before publicly proclaiming it was working "incredibly well", earlier this year.

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