There is a dark irony in the fact that many of those who have been hit by Centrelink's automated debt recovery debacle are on benefits in the first place because automation is dramatically changing the face of work, making it harder for many people to find secure, paid employment.
While the still-unfolding event is a political mess for the Turnbull government, and a personal tragedy for those caught up in it, it's important that we reflect on what it means for how our politics deals with welfare and work.
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The Centrelink debacle presents us with an opportunity to rethink welfare and work. Instead of just fixing a computer glitch, we should ditch the punitive and compliance-based system that is so utterly unsuited to the contemporary world. It's time to move to a new system that encourages and enables all people to contribute to society in various ways, through paid work or volunteering, through caring for others or creating beautiful and provocative art, or simply by being.