Despite the abolishment of the notorious Robodebt scheme, Centrelink's debt recovery practices continue to stir distress among recipients, including pensioners, carers, and parents receiving childcare assistance.

Advocates for welfare recipients report that Centrelink's current debt recovery approach is lacking in several aspects.

Recipients often receive ‘semi-threatening’ debt notices that provide insufficient information about the calculation of the debt amount.

People who speak up for welfare recipients say that Centrelink's way of trying to collect debts is causing more stress because they send threatening letters with not enough information, just like they did during the Robodebt program. Image by Tumisu from pixabay

They claim that Centrelink's debt recovery process is still causing additional stress, reminiscent of the Robodebt scheme.

The income-averaging method used to determine debts in the scheme was heavily criticised during the recent royal commission, which referred to it as an ‘extraordinary saga’ marked by ‘venality, incompetence, and cowardice’.

Although the Robodebt program was terminated in 2019, advocates for welfare recipients strongly emphasise the need for improvements to Centrelink's current processes.

The Welfare Rights Centre's Chief Executive Officer, Katherine Boyle, announced on ABC Radio Sydney that while there had been improvements, the current approach still feels eerily familiar.

'Robodebt is dead, but people feel like they have a Robodebt. That feeling of being chased, persecuted, and confused—that hasn't actually changed.' said Ms Boyle.

Here's an example of how these issues can feel like a frustrating puzzle.

Meredith Davies' husband is a recipient of a disability support pension.

About a year ago, the couple received a letter stating he had an overpayment of over $600, which would be deducted from future payments.

However, even after twelve months and several phone calls, including seeking help from their local federal MP's office, they still haven't received any further information.

Ms Davies said, ‘If they can't give you a good reason for the overpayment, they shouldn't be asking for it.’

Likewise, an 88-year-old carer of a Parkinson's patient was nearly stripped of his carer allowance because of a failure to communicate clearly with Centrelink about his wife's hospitalisation dates.

It is essential that Centrelink not only makes changes to its debt letters but also takes concrete steps to rebuild trust and ensure that vulnerable citizens are served with the dignity and respect they deserve. Image from shutterstock

These are just two of many frustrating stories we’ve heard of good people mismanaged by the system they rely on most.

And, with 1.6 million debts raised in 2021-2022 by Services Australia, there are be countless stories like these.

In response to these struggles, Centrelink promises changes to its debt letters, including providing more detailed insights regarding the origin of these debts.

A spokesperson stated, ‘We're making further changes to include more detailed information on how a debt occurred…We're sorry to hear people are having trouble reaching us.’

But will the changes go far enough for those that depend on these services?

Ms Boyle certainly has her doubts. She states, 'The problems are so systemic, so deep, so long term that it's going to take a while to fix Centrelink, so it's actually serving the people as it should.'

Key Takeaways

• Welfare recipients are reportedly still experiencing stress and confusion due to Centrelink's debt recovery processes, even after the controversial 'Robodebt' scheme was dumped.
  
• There have been complaints that debt notices do not provide enough information about how the owed sums were calculated and use 'semi-threatening' language.
  
• Some improvements have been made, according to Welfare Rights Centre CEO Katherine Boyle, but there are continuing issues with the way Centrelink pursues debts.
  
• Services Australia is reportedly making changes to improve debt letters, aiming to provide more detailed information on how a debt occurred.

So, even though Robodebt may be gone, it’s clear there’s still much work to do.

We would love to hear your opinions on the story shared above. What improvements do you think are necessary to alleviate stress and confusion for the recipients? Feel free to share your thoughts!

 

[Milica]

Has any of our pensioners seen a pay rise in their pensions so far this tax year? No one seems to have had a raise except my granddaughter who as a personal Carer got the lowest raise in the care industry. Artie has a new job in the care industry she recently moved out of home & is now boarding with her boyfriend away from this area so she applied for a job at a new concept in Dementia care. A village within a care centre, she was initially knocked back, Then she was called for another interview of initially 20mins stretched to 1 hour & she got the job of house companion which means she runs not only 6 residents but the cooking & cleaning as well.

They are most certainly not paid their worth - in aged care or any area of similar work - sounds like she is doing more than one job role and in aged care your pay rate per hour equates to the duties and role you are qualified to perform, in an aged care facility, in-resident care - in most cases as they are so short staffed they will ask other workers to perform duties that are not related to their role - i do hope she enjoys her job:_)

 

[Blimey Charlie]

Wasn’t it Bill Shorten that came up with the scheme in the beginning?

Please stop posting right wing Propaganda. The scheme was proposed by the Liberal government in 2014 and introduced in 2015. It had nothing to do with the Labor party.

 

[Milica]

Besides the bureaucracy all of the Centrelink staff right to the bottom would have known it was wrong but the lower levels would not have been able to do anything about it. The Robodebt wasn't the only dishonest thing they did, there were other areas where people were cheated out of their entitlements.

It's disgusting and is applied with intimidating force, the person is without a voice to be heard!

 

[Izzabel]

Despite the abolishment of the notorious robo debt Mr Morrison should be held accountable for all this as he was our prime minister and he was the one that would have given the ok to be set up at the time of the robo debt happening soo there for i feel that mr Morrison should repay every cent that he recovered from his victims and it should be given back to the people that has suffered under neath his hands with interest,Morrison has caused a lot of heart aches and trauma exspecially to the families who has had a loved one suicide over this robo debt,For an instant if Center link had over payed some one they will recover the amount of money a person owes them and deduct from your pay ,so now it’s in reverse that Center link owes money to people and trying to cover it up by not paying the victims that has and still is suffering thru the robo debt scheme,It’s blindingly clear to see that Morrison knew and was aware of what exactly was going to happen and all he thought was about filling up his pockets,Shame on you Morrison,,people are still suffering whilst you and your family are enjoying holidays and not given a dam about no body,Royal Commission should hold Morrison and all others that were aware of what was going to happen accountable so there for they need to repay these people back as it’s the right thing to do,Morrison has already been exposed that he is liable for this robo debt,He is living like a king whilst others that are owed this money are living in hell not on Come on Morrison Pay Up or garnish the money he owes to all these people from his bank account and I’m sure he can afford to pay every one ,,Mr Albanese should make sure that it is going to happen and that no one is going to be left behind like he promised,Thank You

While I partially agree with what is written by Nancy Watts, I cant help but notice there is a lot of politics evident in her statement. The way she refers to the previous Prime Minister as Morrison and the current one as Mr Albanese. A lot of bitterness there as well. Rather long winded as well.

 

[Milica]

Your article asks "what could be done better"! Get rid of all the incompetent, unqualified workers who all tell you something different when you ask for an answer or explanation with the same question, but a different worker - or at least (not the ground workers faults entirely, i am pretty sure some would be kept in the dark) Train your workers so they know what they are doing, & then they can give out the right information, & put the right information in their computerised system! Also with so many people out of work - train people to be able to apply for jobs @ c/link in P/Time roles to answer the pathetic phone service-that would be a great start!
If c/link can't get it right with the process of debt letters to the marginalised recipients who receive them - look to other states to see how they handle this process or to other countries! this may also give them an idea in how to treat human beings @ the same time.

 

[I'm Mal]

Despite the abolishment of the notorious robo debt Mr Morrison should be held accountable for all this as he was our prime minister and he was the one that would have given the ok to be set up at the time of the robo debt happening soo there for i feel that mr Morrison should repay every cent that he recovered from his victims and it should be given back to the people that has suffered under neath his hands with interest,Morrison has caused a lot of heart aches and trauma exspecially to the families who has had a loved one suicide over this robo debt,For an instant if Center link had over payed some one they will recover the amount of money a person owes them and deduct from your pay ,so now it’s in reverse that Center link owes money to people and trying to cover it up by not paying the victims that has and still is suffering thru the robo debt scheme,It’s blindingly clear to see that Morrison knew and was aware of what exactly was going to happen and all he thought was about filling up his pockets,Shame on you Morrison,,people are still suffering whilst you and your family are enjoying holidays and not given a dam about no body,Royal Commission should hold Morrison and all others that were aware of what was going to happen accountable so there for they need to repay these people back as it’s the right thing to do,Morrison has already been exposed that he is liable for this robo debt,He is living like a king whilst others that are owed this money are living in hell not on Come on Morrison Pay Up or garnish the money he owes to all these people from his bank account and I’m sure he can afford to pay every one ,,Mr Albanese should make sure that it is going to happen and that no one is going to be left behind like he promised,Thank You

The architect of robodebt was dudd and dillard. They are the ones that should be held accountable NOT The Hon PM Scott Morrison. He abolished robodebt so therefore got rid of the monster created by liebour. Now we have a worse problem with alboliar. This clown is sending Australia bankrupt and is totally out of his depth in the role he lied his way into and he is doing more damage than robodebt ever did.

 

[Klaus A]

No

Minister responsible was Stuart Robert. Who quit parliament recently because of this and we had a by election last week.

 

[Iturate]

Despite the abolishment of the notorious Robodebt scheme, Centrelink's debt recovery practices continue to stir distress among recipients, including pensioners, carers, and parents receiving childcare assistance.

Advocates for welfare recipients report that Centrelink's current debt recovery approach is lacking in several aspects.

Recipients often receive ‘semi-threatening’ debt notices that provide insufficient information about the calculation of the debt amount.

View attachment 25522

People who speak up for welfare recipients say that Centrelink's way of trying to collect debts is causing more stress because they send threatening letters with not enough information, just like they did during the Robodebt program. Image by Tumisu from pixabay

They claim that Centrelink's debt recovery process is still causing additional stress, reminiscent of the Robodebt scheme.

The income-averaging method used to determine debts in the scheme was heavily criticised during the recent royal commission, which referred to it as an ‘extraordinary saga’ marked by ‘venality, incompetence, and cowardice’.

Although the Robodebt program was terminated in 2019, advocates for welfare recipients strongly emphasise the need for improvements to Centrelink's current processes.

The Welfare Rights Centre's Chief Executive Officer, Katherine Boyle, announced on ABC Radio Sydney that while there had been improvements, the current approach still feels eerily familiar.

'Robodebt is dead, but people feel like they have a Robodebt. That feeling of being chased, persecuted, and confused—that hasn't actually changed.' said Ms Boyle.

Here's an example of how these issues can feel like a frustrating puzzle.

Meredith Davies' husband is a recipient of a disability support pension.

About a year ago, the couple received a letter stating he had an overpayment of over $600, which would be deducted from future payments.

However, even after twelve months and several phone calls, including seeking help from their local federal MP's office, they still haven't received any further information.

Ms Davies said, ‘If they can't give you a good reason for the overpayment, they shouldn't be asking for it.’

Likewise, an 88-year-old carer of a Parkinson's patient was nearly stripped of his carer allowance because of a failure to communicate clearly with Centrelink about his wife's hospitalisation dates.

View attachment 25523

It is essential that Centrelink not only makes changes to its debt letters but also takes concrete steps to rebuild trust and ensure that vulnerable citizens are served with the dignity and respect they deserve. Image from shutterstock

These are just two of many frustrating stories we’ve heard of good people mismanaged by the system they rely on most.

And, with 1.6 million debts raised in 2021-2022 by Services Australia, there are be countless stories like these.

In response to these struggles, Centrelink promises changes to its debt letters, including providing more detailed insights regarding the origin of these debts.

A spokesperson stated, ‘We're making further changes to include more detailed information on how a debt occurred…We're sorry to hear people are having trouble reaching us.’

But will the changes go far enough for those that depend on these services?

Ms Boyle certainly has her doubts. She states, 'The problems are so systemic, so deep, so long term that it's going to take a while to fix Centrelink, so it's actually serving the people as it should.'

Key Takeaways

• Welfare recipients are reportedly still experiencing stress and confusion due to Centrelink's debt recovery processes, even after the controversial 'Robodebt' scheme was dumped.
• There have been complaints that debt notices do not provide enough information about how the owed sums were calculated and use 'semi-threatening' language.
• Some improvements have been made, according to Welfare Rights Centre CEO Katherine Boyle, but there are continuing issues with the way Centrelink pursues debts.
• Services Australia is reportedly making changes to improve debt letters, aiming to provide more detailed information on how a debt occurred.

So, even though Robodebt may be gone, it’s clear there’s still much work to do.

We would love to hear your opinions on the story shared above. What improvements do you think are necessary to alleviate stress and confusion for the recipients? Feel free to share your thoughts!

 

[lucygirl2]

Despite the abolishment of the notorious Robodebt scheme, Centrelink's debt recovery practices continue to stir distress among recipients, including pensioners, carers, and parents receiving childcare assistance.

Advocates for welfare recipients report that Centrelink's current debt recovery approach is lacking in several aspects.

Recipients often receive ‘semi-threatening’ debt notices that provide insufficient information about the calculation of the debt amount.

View attachment 25522

People who speak up for welfare recipients say that Centrelink's way of trying to collect debts is causing more stress because they send threatening letters with not enough information, just like they did during the Robodebt program. Image by Tumisu from pixabay

They claim that Centrelink's debt recovery process is still causing additional stress, reminiscent of the Robodebt scheme.

The income-averaging method used to determine debts in the scheme was heavily criticised during the recent royal commission, which referred to it as an ‘extraordinary saga’ marked by ‘venality, incompetence, and cowardice’.

Although the Robodebt program was terminated in 2019, advocates for welfare recipients strongly emphasise the need for improvements to Centrelink's current processes.

The Welfare Rights Centre's Chief Executive Officer, Katherine Boyle, announced on ABC Radio Sydney that while there had been improvements, the current approach still feels eerily familiar.

'Robodebt is dead, but people feel like they have a Robodebt. That feeling of being chased, persecuted, and confused—that hasn't actually changed.' said Ms Boyle.

Here's an example of how these issues can feel like a frustrating puzzle.

Meredith Davies' husband is a recipient of a disability support pension.

About a year ago, the couple received a letter stating he had an overpayment of over $600, which would be deducted from future payments.

However, even after twelve months and several phone calls, including seeking help from their local federal MP's office, they still haven't received any further information.

Ms Davies said, ‘If they can't give you a good reason for the overpayment, they shouldn't be asking for it.’

Likewise, an 88-year-old carer of a Parkinson's patient was nearly stripped of his carer allowance because of a failure to communicate clearly with Centrelink about his wife's hospitalisation dates.

View attachment 25523

It is essential that Centrelink not only makes changes to its debt letters but also takes concrete steps to rebuild trust and ensure that vulnerable citizens are served with the dignity and respect they deserve. Image from shutterstock

These are just two of many frustrating stories we’ve heard of good people mismanaged by the system they rely on most.

And, with 1.6 million debts raised in 2021-2022 by Services Australia, there are be countless stories like these.

In response to these struggles, Centrelink promises changes to its debt letters, including providing more detailed insights regarding the origin of these debts.

A spokesperson stated, ‘We're making further changes to include more detailed information on how a debt occurred…We're sorry to hear people are having trouble reaching us.’

But will the changes go far enough for those that depend on these services?

Ms Boyle certainly has her doubts. She states, 'The problems are so systemic, so deep, so long term that it's going to take a while to fix Centrelink, so it's actually serving the people as it should.'

Key Takeaways

• Welfare recipients are reportedly still experiencing stress and confusion due to Centrelink's debt recovery processes, even after the controversial 'Robodebt' scheme was dumped.
• There have been complaints that debt notices do not provide enough information about how the owed sums were calculated and use 'semi-threatening' language.
• Some improvements have been made, according to Welfare Rights Centre CEO Katherine Boyle, but there are continuing issues with the way Centrelink pursues debts.
• Services Australia is reportedly making changes to improve debt letters, aiming to provide more detailed information on how a debt occurred.

So, even though Robodebt may be gone, it’s clear there’s still much work to do.

We would love to hear your opinions on the story shared above. What improvements do you think are necessary to alleviate stress and confusion for the recipients? Feel free to share your thoughts!

I have been trying to get in touch with centrelink I was on hold for 2and a half hours then they hung up on me

 

[Haydee]

Despite the abolishment of the notorious robo debt Mr Morrison should be held accountable for all this as he was our prime minister and he was the one that would have given the ok to be set up at the time of the robo debt happening soo there for i feel that mr Morrison should repay every cent that he recovered from his victims and it should be given back to the people that has suffered under neath his hands with interest,Morrison has caused a lot of heart aches and trauma exspecially to the families who has had a loved one suicide over this robo debt,For an instant if Center link had over payed some one they will recover the amount of money a person owes them and deduct from your pay ,so now it’s in reverse that Center link owes money to people and trying to cover it up by not paying the victims that has and still is suffering thru the robo debt scheme,It’s blindingly clear to see that Morrison knew and was aware of what exactly was going to happen and all he thought was about filling up his pockets,Shame on you Morrison,,people are still suffering whilst you and your family are enjoying holidays and not given a dam about no body,Royal Commission should hold Morrison and all others that were aware of what was going to happen accountable so there for they need to repay these people back as it’s the right thing to do,Morrison has already been exposed that he is liable for this robo debt,He is living like a king whilst others that are owed this money are living in hell not on Come on Morrison Pay Up or garnish the money he owes to all these people from his bank account and I’m sure he can afford to pay every one ,,Mr Albanese should make sure that it is going to happen and that no one is going to be left behind like he promised,Thank You

I am with you!!

 

[Iturate]

Did you call the seniors line because that seems to be the order of the day on that number. We tried going into the office but were told they can't help us and to call the seniors line. The "debt" was because I followed Centrelink's own rules on reporting income. It took them a year to create the debt and we have waited 10 months for a call back from them. I have lost count of the number of calls, call drop outs and hours spent trying to sort it out. In the meantime they started to deduct payments from the pension without any notification. Local member couldn't help. Still waiting for the review decision.......

 

[Davidgm]

Despite the abolishment of the notorious Robodebt scheme, Centrelink's debt recovery practices continue to stir distress among recipients, including pensioners, carers, and parents receiving childcare assistance.

Advocates for welfare recipients report that Centrelink's current debt recovery approach is lacking in several aspects.

Recipients often receive ‘semi-threatening’ debt notices that provide insufficient information about the calculation of the debt amount.

View attachment 25522

People who speak up for welfare recipients say that Centrelink's way of trying to collect debts is causing more stress because they send threatening letters with not enough information, just like they did during the Robodebt program. Image by Tumisu from pixabay

They claim that Centrelink's debt recovery process is still causing additional stress, reminiscent of the Robodebt scheme.

The income-averaging method used to determine debts in the scheme was heavily criticised during the recent royal commission, which referred to it as an ‘extraordinary saga’ marked by ‘venality, incompetence, and cowardice’.

Although the Robodebt program was terminated in 2019, advocates for welfare recipients strongly emphasise the need for improvements to Centrelink's current processes.

The Welfare Rights Centre's Chief Executive Officer, Katherine Boyle, announced on ABC Radio Sydney that while there had been improvements, the current approach still feels eerily familiar.

'Robodebt is dead, but people feel like they have a Robodebt. That feeling of being chased, persecuted, and confused—that hasn't actually changed.' said Ms Boyle.

Here's an example of how these issues can feel like a frustrating puzzle.

Meredith Davies' husband is a recipient of a disability support pension.

About a year ago, the couple received a letter stating he had an overpayment of over $600, which would be deducted from future payments.

However, even after twelve months and several phone calls, including seeking help from their local federal MP's office, they still haven't received any further information.

Ms Davies said, ‘If they can't give you a good reason for the overpayment, they shouldn't be asking for it.’

Likewise, an 88-year-old carer of a Parkinson's patient was nearly stripped of his carer allowance because of a failure to communicate clearly with Centrelink about his wife's hospitalisation dates.

View attachment 25523

It is essential that Centrelink not only makes changes to its debt letters but also takes concrete steps to rebuild trust and ensure that vulnerable citizens are served with the dignity and respect they deserve. Image from shutterstock

These are just two of many frustrating stories we’ve heard of good people mismanaged by the system they rely on most.

And, with 1.6 million debts raised in 2021-2022 by Services Australia, there are be countless stories like these.

In response to these struggles, Centrelink promises changes to its debt letters, including providing more detailed insights regarding the origin of these debts.

A spokesperson stated, ‘We're making further changes to include more detailed information on how a debt occurred…We're sorry to hear people are having trouble reaching us.’

But will the changes go far enough for those that depend on these services?

Ms Boyle certainly has her doubts. She states, 'The problems are so systemic, so deep, so long term that it's going to take a while to fix Centrelink, so it's actually serving the people as it should.'

Key Takeaways

• Welfare recipients are reportedly still experiencing stress and confusion due to Centrelink's debt recovery processes, even after the controversial 'Robodebt' scheme was dumped.
• There have been complaints that debt notices do not provide enough information about how the owed sums were calculated and use 'semi-threatening' language.
• Some improvements have been made, according to Welfare Rights Centre CEO Katherine Boyle, but there are continuing issues with the way Centrelink pursues debts.
• Services Australia is reportedly making changes to improve debt letters, aiming to provide more detailed information on how a debt occurred.

So, even though Robodebt may be gone, it’s clear there’s still much work to do.

We would love to hear your opinions on the story shared above. What improvements do you think are necessary to alleviate stress and confusion for the recipients? Feel free to share your thoughts!

 

[Judith1946]

I live in Victoria and I have had many issues with the company who administer my Homecare package. I self manage my package which is a level 4. This is the second company I’ve been with and both have shown an enormous lack of business management and incompetence. I found an organi called - The elderly peoples advocacy service - they have on two o proved their weight in gold. They are empowered to assist with so many difficult issues with organisations where due care and competence is rife. I cannot praise them highl enough. It is a free service and if you are concerned phone My Aged Care who will validate their service. It’s also free. They really sorted a quite complex situation out and it has lead to my Package provider being reported to an Ombudsman who deals with these complaints. I was told it was my problem and not the package providers but it most certainly proved to be untrained staff and lack of openness with my funding. So to everyone who is experiencing difficulties try this.

 

[KSS]

As much as people don't want to admit it it, there are people who will scam Centrelink and any other agency handing out money (look at the drought and flood relief, child care centres and even the NDIS). Those that are cheating on welfare payments must be stopped and punished for doing so. After all, they are stealing money from people who genuinely need it. Whether that is not declaring a change in a personal relationship, a couple of extra hours of work, a change of living conditions or claiming for a child they no longer have responsibility for or any other reason, it does not change the fact they are lying and stealing from others. They may well be a minority but they cost the rest of us millions of dollars every year. Those that have a genuine need suffer at the hands of those who cheat. I would rather people be sent a please explain letter than let the criminals get away with their theft.

 

[KSS]

I live in Victoria and I have had many issues with the company who administer my Homecare package. I self manage my package which is a level 4. This is the second company I’ve been with and both have shown an enormous lack of business management and incompetence. I found an organi called - The elderly peoples advocacy service - they have on two o proved their weight in gold. They are empowered to assist with so many difficult issues with organisations where due care and competence is rife. I cannot praise them highl enough. It is a free service and if you are concerned phone My Aged Care who will validate their service. It’s also free. They really sorted a quite complex situation out and it has lead to my Package provider being reported to an Ombudsman who deals with these complaints. I was told it was my problem and not the package providers but it most certainly proved to be untrained staff and lack of openness with my funding. So to everyone who is experiencing difficulties try this.

Unfortunately, where government money is concerned it is like a bee to a honey pot and attracts criminals who think there is no victim in their theft. There is always a victim and in the case of NDIS, aged and child care and other welfare payments, the victims are twofold; those who genuinely need and should receive the payments and the taxpayers who pay for it.

 

[Klaus A]

It is now 14 month since the last election. The Labour party is overseeing Centrelink now. Kathryn Campbell was the head of this department with a multi megabugs wage of $900.000. She has resigned today.
The new head of the department does not seem to be much better. The computer "one and one is two, this is all I can do" is not to blame. It all boils down to the programmer and what he has been told to do by the department.If this program is deliberately, or accidentally, or even because of total incompetent wrong. Its a failure of that department. In a commercial sense it's nothing else than fraud. Nothing has changed so far. Pensioner still get ripped off.