Tag: centrelink
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Senate committee says Centrelink was ‘set up to fail’
Centrelink’s controversial automated debt recovery service has fundamental flaws in its infrastructure and should be suspended until they have been addressed, according to a Senate committee dominated by the Labor and Greens parties. The Senate Standing Committee on Community Affairs has claimed that the system has had a “profoundly negative impact on the lives of…
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Welfare drug tests could result in income management
The Federal Government has warned that any welfare recipients who fail drug tests will risk being forced onto a total income management scheme. The government are due to begin the mandatory testing of 5000 new Centrelink customers next year, and while it is expected that less than 10% of those subjected will test positive to…
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Government to overhaul privacy code amid data concerns
The government has announced plans to reform the privacy code and processes of the Australian Public Service (APS) in order to combat public concerns about the ability of the government to handle people’s personal details safely. The announcement was made today by the Secretary of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, Martin Parkinson,…
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Centrelink overpayment errors ‘not counted’
The Senate inquiry into Centrelink’s automated debt recovery system has found that the system has not kept track of how many overpayment errors were caused by the agency itself. Greens senator Rachel Siewert has called for greater clarity from the government service on the functionality and reliability of the new automated system. “I think it…