Commonwealth Ombudsman uncovers two decades' worth of Centrelink debt miscalculations in shocking report

Could you be one of the 100,000 potentially affected by Centrelink's miscalculated debt system?

In a shocking revelation, a report has unearthed that an error in the state welfare system might have led to the incorrect calculation of up to 100,000 debts or potential debts over the past twenty years.

These miscalculations were allegedly conducted by ‘unlawfully apportioning’ welfare recipients’ income.



The report released found that from at least 2003 to December 2020, the Department of Social Services and Services Australia miscalculated debts due to an ‘incorrect’ understanding of social security law.

Ombudsman Iain Anderson stated that this was due to a 'genuinely' held belief that their calculation method was accurate, unlike the infamous Robodebt scandal that caught so many Australians off guard.

Robodebt ‘initiated and continued without legislative changes the agencies knew were required’, Anderson pointed out.


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Up to 100,000 Centrelink debts or potential debts miscalculated over two decades, ombudsman finds. Credit: Shutterstock

The issue was first brought to light by the brave efforts of then-senator Rex Patrick after a $1,600 debt was drawn into suspicion.

Patrick’s tenacity led to an administrative appeals tribunal ruling that this purported debt had ‘not been proved’.



The mechanisms behind these debt calculations are anything but straightforward. Centrelink, being the chief provider of Australia's welfare payments, often relies on employment payslips for its debt calculations.

However, this doesn't account for cases where payslips don't align with the fortnightly income reporting periods.

In such situations, the agency has been found to create a ‘daily’ average.


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In some cases, payslips don't always match up with the fortnightly income-reporting periods that can be used by Services Australia to calculate welfare debts. Credit: Shutterstock

The Ombudsman found that a process of ‘apportionment’ was used to spread welfare recipients’ employment income across two or more fortnightly periods, which were then used to calculate entitlement to government payments such as JobSeeker.

‘This was not permitted by section 1037B of the Social Security Act as it was in force prior to 7 December 2020,’ the report stated.



‘Apportioning income across multiple Centrelink fortnights caused problems with calculations, as customers could be over- or under-paid if employment income were apportioned into Centrelink fortnights when it was not earned, derived or received,’ it continued.

Ombudsman Anderson also reassured that the practice is ‘not related’ to Robodebt, where recipients’ yearly income was averaged across 26-fortnight payments.

According to the report, the ‘Robodebt calculation methodology frequently switched the burden of proof away from Centrelink to prove a debt existed, and onto the customer to prove a debt did not exist’.

Despite this, the upshot remains troubling for thousands of Australians, with the Ombudsman concluding that the apportionment ‘likely affected social security payment rates and may have [led] to unfair debts against customers’.

With this issue exposed, the Department of Social Services and Services Australia are taking steady steps towards a resolution.

The exact scope of the debts affected remains unclear. Services Australia has paused roughly 13,000 debt reviews, while an additional 87,000 cases could potentially be affected.



Meanwhile, Rex Patrick's comments on the issue are particularly noteworthy: ‘Whilst technically different to Robodebt, the effect it had on those who received debt notices was the same.’

‘It left many already struggling people in great distress,’ he stressed.

Now here's the most important part what's being done about it? The Ombudsman has recommended the agencies seek counsel from the Solicitor-General and, as a last resort, suggested a federal court test case.

This was only ‘partially’ accepted by Services Australia, and a warning was, in turn, issued, stating that the resolution process could take up to two years.

The ministers of social services and government services, Amanda Rishworth and Bill Shorten, have pledged their commitment to resolving this complex issue.

‘The practice of income apportionment has not been used to calculate social security payments since July 2021,’ Rishworth said.

‘Agencies have confirmed this has not happened under the Albanese Labor government’s watch. However, there may be potential debts or overpayments that remain unresolved.’

We urge all of you at the Seniors Discount Club who may be affected to keep an eye on this development.
Key Takeaways
  • The Commonwealth Ombudsman found up to 100,000 debts or potential debts were miscalculated over two decades due to an 'incorrect' understanding of social security law.
  • The 'apportionment' method, spreading employment income across multiple fortnightly periods, may have led to unfair debts against welfare recipients.
  • It is still unclear how many debts are affected, and the Ombudsman has recommended seeking advice from the solicitor general.
  • The social services minister, the government services minister, and agencies welcomed the report, confirming they stopped using this method of income apportionment in July 2021. However, potential debts and overpayments may still remain unresolved.
If you’d like to share your story to raise awareness and help others, then please get in touch in the comments section below.
 
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These problems arise less because of mathematical complexity and disregard for legal compliance, but more for the jealousy that covers payments to those citizens who are deemed unworthy by those who deem themselves more worthy. No one vets Richard Marles exploitation of treasury funds when he walzes his photoshoot crew first class around. the world. No one with a property portfolio considers their negative gearing subsidies to be an abuse of the nations finances. No one with a share portfolio is troubled by their franking credits. But wobetide the poor bugger and his family, who loses his job when the CEO figures a cost saving innovation to enlarge executive bonuses. Wobetide the old man who needs a pension because the Family Court relieved him of his super. Wobetide the old lady who has no super because housewives had no income.
In other words, it is the cruel conceit of wide Australia and its contempt towards battlers that Morrison, Tudge, Campbell and Porter exploited. A pox on the country too jealous to be a real Nation. A pox on those whose pride and ignorance is too large to wear their brothers moccasins. A pox on the divas who design and implement abusive policies for political theatre.
Sounds like you have a real chip on your shoulder.
 
Definitely watching this as I've had 2 debts that I've paid off and I am sure they were WRONG because I reported everything religiously for fear of this exact outcome, yet still got request for overpayments, and when asked for proof a big fat 0.
Yep me too
 
I am not at all surprised they make so many mistakes. It happened to me a few years ago. I had a letter saying that they over paid me and now I have to pay back $5000, I went to the tribunal in the city to fight it, they look into their book, and found there was a red flag, which meant they had to look into it, but they ignored it, and let it go for a couple of years, anyway they said they would let me know whether I had to pay it or not. I got a letter saying sorry but I have to pay back the $5000 which they would take out of my age pension per fortnight, but I could still fight it over the phone if I want to, so I rang them, and said its not my fault, you made the big mistake, guess what she said, well you know there is a lot of paper work involved, how about we let you of a $1000 so you just have to pay us $4000, I said well you know you have made a big mistake, so yes I had to pay them $4000, so now on when we report to centrelink every fortnight my crossing job pay we always ask for the receipt number, as we don't trust them.
 
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Yes l am paying an overpayment for 10 years and am still waiting for a review in person for two years .it was when l was having cancer treatment.l don't even have any written paperwork .last week they put mypayment up from $25 a fortnight to $125 a fortnight because my husband has some money in the bank left to him after his mother died.this comes out of my fortnightly pension.the stress this has caused me is so upsetting because you can't speak to anyone .you have to ring the debt line .
You must make contact with the ombudsman - the fact that you do not have any paperwork, to show there is a debt and how this calculation came about - itemised debt they stated is owed, if this was advised verbally to you via phone c/link still needs to then send a letter advising of such - otherewise where is the paperwork to say you have a debt! I am so sorry to hear that you have had to go thru this whilst you where having cancer treatment - that is less than humane on there part - this could have been put on hold - in the same way you have been waiting for a review in person for 2 years! Speak with a seniors advocacy service - legal aid can also advise who to make contact with - c/link seem to think they are a law unto themselves - it is good to see they are finally being investigated in an open manner for all to see! and to be instructed to correct the mistakes they have made - get rid of the top 2 that have been mentioned in the article - they have no idea! - and it seems nor do the workers that have either implemented the systems of deductions or giving advice to people that is Incorrect! which has caused many to suffer from stress, anxiety, etc, not to mention more that has happened with robodebt to some with c/links accusations of debt owed - re-train of all the incompetent workers - train people the same way as per the situations that they come across or if they can't be trained to do the work correctly, and give out the right information, complete the work in the correct manner, then as much as i hate to say it get Robots!
 
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I am not at all surprised they make so many mistakes. It happened to me a few years ago. I had a letter saying that they over paid me and now I have to pay back $5000, I went to the tribunal in the city to fight it, they look into their book, and found there was a red flag, which meant they had to look into it, but they ignored it, and let it go for a couple of years, anyway they said they would let me know whether I had to pay it or not. I got a letter saying sorry but I have to pay back the $5000 which they would take out of my age pension per fortnight, but I could still fight it over the phone if I want to, so I rang them, and said its not my fault, you made the big mistake, guess what she said, well you know there is a lot of paper work involved, how about we let you of a $1000 so you just have to pay us $4000, I said well you know you have made a big mistake, so yes I had to pay them $4000, so now on when we report to centrelink every fortnight my crossing job pay we always ask for the receipt number, as we don't trust them.
That's disgusting treatment - it is not a bartering system - a person either has a debt or not - there mistake - they should have waived it! If a person had made an honest mistake in reporting, they are still expected to repay the amount - why would it be different for c/link - i am not sure who the powers to be of the organisation seem to think they are, untouchable and unaccountable, more and more investigation should take place, so that it becomes the system it was created to be - to help people in crises and poverty to survive, either whilst they are able to look for work or as a means of income for survival - worker's don't get it - they have never experienced it! i think most of the ground floor workers, have an understanding but have no choice in what they can and can't do to assist the most marginalised - it's all about saving money, and taking from the poor, that in itself should be an offcence! how about the top bosses who receive astronomical amounts to delegate and micro manage their workers take a cut in there pays - this can then go towards c/link payments!
 
Yes l am paying an overpayment for 10 years and am still waiting for a review in person for two years .it was when l was having cancer treatment.l don't even have any written paperwork .last week they put mypayment up from $25 a fortnight to $125 a fortnight because my husband has some money in the bank left to him after his mother died.this comes out of my fortnightly pension.the stress this has caused me is so upsetting because you can't speak to anyone .you have to ring the debt line .
I would personally go into a centrelink office and talk to someone there about your situation. You should not be paying off more because of your husbands account. If you go in to an office, it does not take too long to speak to someone.
 

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