The Wire

A long-serving member of the Administrative Appeals Tribunal says Centrelink’s automated debt collection system is unlawful in the way it forces welfare recipients to pay their debts with no evidence needed to be provided.

Also known as ‘robo-debt’ the automated system casts a wide net to recover money it thinks recipients of Centrelink payments have taken while in a higher income threshold then stated.

This becomes a problem when confused welfare recipients are asked to pay debts without full disclosure or proof there is in fact money owing to Centrelink.