2017-02-07
The Greens have worked with Labor to lodge a notice of motion for a senate inquiry into the Government’s failing Centrelink automated debt recovery system that has been rolled out since last year. The Senate will vote on the motion tomorrow.
“In an attempt to claw back money from struggling Australians accessing our social safety net, the Government has caused a monumental mess that they refuse to back away from. This is just the tip of the iceberg as we know so many people are yet to receive the debt notice, it’s only going to get worse”, Australian Greens Senator Rachel Siewert said today.
“It is bizarre that despite the rollout of the automated debt recovery system going so dismally wrong and at the expense of struggling Australians, the Government has offered no answers and next to no guarantee that they will improve the programme, nor have they committed to abandoning it.
“The automated debt recovery system, which started trying to collect debts without human oversight, has caused anguish for thousands of Australians, many of which do not even have a debt at all. These people are now having to rake through records from years ago to prove they don't have debts. They need and deserve answers.
“It is clear that the automated debt recovery system must be investigated by a senate inquiry so we can drill down and begin providing answers to the community that the Government won’t.
“I urge the Senate to support the inquiry so we can get the inquiry underway”.