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Services Australia, which used to be called Dept of Human Services, is before the #robodebt Senate inquiry. I'll be listening in and tweeting as we go.
Kathryn Campbell says income-averaging has been used by the Dept for a while, but crucially, adds it was used as a last resort or if the Dept could not reach the individual.
This is key.
This is key.
It's anticipated that the majority of #robodebt repayments will be made by November 2020, Ms Campbell says. She notes that the class action lawsuit may preclude some payments from being made in some instances.
Michelle Lees says 145,000 people have already been refunded their #robodebt in full.
That's a value of $224 million.
Some people with extremely large refunds will be paid in installments, Ms Lees says.
$6999.99 is the maximum anyone on Jobseeker can receive in one chunk, otherwise it will impact their payment, she says.
$6999.99 is the maximum anyone on Jobseeker can receive in one chunk, otherwise it will impact their payment, she says.
Large debts will be paid on consecutive business days until its paid off.
At this stage, only #robodebts from 2015 onwards are being paid. Senator @SenatorSiewert asks why that is.
Ms Campbell says before 2015, there were different IT/filing systems. Services Australia says anyone with a debt prior to 2015 can ask for it to be reviewed.
Ms Campbell says before 2015, there were different IT/filing systems. Services Australia says anyone with a debt prior to 2015 can ask for it to be reviewed.
Those reviews can go back to 1998, Services Australia says.
Senator @Deborah_ONeill is asking Services Australia about a document received by @jpwarren after a years-long FOI battle. The document shows that the Dept raised concerns over income-averaging to raise #robodebt notices without "manual oversight" AKA humans checking it.
Ms Campbell says its standard practice for risks to be assessed and raised in that process.
Compliance and integrity will always be a feature of income payments, Services Australia says. But #robodebt going forward will be more about prevention of debts arising in the first place.
Interesting - the Dept says debts have been "zeroed" rather than "waived".
That's because "waived" implies its still exists but is pardoned.
That's because "waived" implies its still exists but is pardoned.
Ms Musolino says the upcoming class action lawsuit against #robodebts is seeking "remedies" beyond debts being repaid. Senator Patrick presses her on whether this includes compensation. She says yes.
Senator O'Neil is admonished for labeling #robodebt "an extortion racket".
LOL, a letter from Minister Robert has just landed in Senator Siewert's inbox. Months after she first inquired. They're going to have to have a private meeting at some stage to discuss that letter.
This all relates to "public interest immunity", that is, that the Commonwealth can be excluded from making certain documents public because they may be prejudicial.
Ok things are getting scrappy now and even I'm confused. Sorry peeps.
