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The Latest Breaking News from Services Australia

Bill Shorten’s Speech Writer Was Paid $300K A Year & Oi Bill I’ll Do It For Half That

Minister for Government Services Bill Shorten has come under fire after the salary of his speechwriter was revealed in Senate estimates.

Pedestrian.tv

Bill Shorten’s speechwriter paid $300,000 a year by Services Australia, Senate estimates told

Julianne Stewart has secured two-year contract despite agency employing 200 media and communication staff

The Guardian - AU

Origin Energy wrongly took $2.5m from nearly 3,000 ex-customers via Centrepay

Figures revealed in Senate hearing as Services Australia says the money, taken from welfare payments under the debit scheme, is being returned

The Guardian - AU

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New Services Australia boss to face big test at estimates

David Hazlehurst began in the agency on January 8.

The Canberra Times

Centrepay scandal: energy firm Origin wrongly received funds from welfare payments of former customers

Exclusive: Company is the third supplier known to have been given payments from vulnerable Australians in cases exposed by Guardian Australia

The Guardian - AU

Child support used as ‘tool of violence’ for economic abuse of women in Australia, report finds

Women’s Legal Services Australia says fathers take ‘extraordinary measures’ to reduce taxable income and support payments

The Guardian - AU

Financial rights advocates ‘seriously concerned’ about how Youpla support scheme will be spent

‘Disappointment’ comes after documents reveal only two-thirds of $96m will go to Indigenous victims of predatory funeral fund

The Guardian - AU

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Services Australia receives $314 million security boost

Aggression towards Services Australia staff has prompted a $314 million safety boost including extra security guards and live monitoring of CCTV.

AAP

About a third of $96m ACBF-Youpla victim support scheme to be spent on administration

National Indigenous Australians Agency and Services Australia will receive about $30m to run program for Aboriginal victims of predatory funeral fund

The Guardian - AU

AGL’s use of Centrepay not audited for two years despite allegations it wrongly took $700,000 from vulnerable Australians

Exclusive: Services Australia says it is also working to retrieve overpayments from Queensland’s Ergon Energy

The Guardian - AU

Urban Rampage banned from using Centrepay to sign up mostly Indigenous customers to credit arrangements

Asic finds arrangements posed ‘significant risk’ of financial hardship but clothing store says it will appeal ‘racist and paternalistic decision’

The Guardian - AU

Centrelink claims backlog slashed after hiring blitz

More than 500,000 claims made to Services Australia have been removed from the backlog in just 10 weeks.

AAP

Landlords charging Centrepay transaction fees to vulnerable tenants against scheme policy

Administration fees for debit system should be covered by business but renters – including a disability pensioner – have still been made to pay

The Guardian - AU

‘Financial abuse’: how a debit scheme to help vulnerable Australians led to exploitation instead

A Guardian investigation has revealed that Centrepay is exposing scores of welfare recipients to financial harm. Advocates say the government must act now

The Guardian - AU

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The Guardian - AU

Morning Mail: pressure mounts over Gaza, agency warned about Centrepay, Taylor Auerbach to return to stand

World Central Kitchen urges Albanese government to join call for inquiry into attack; Asic gave repeated heads-up to Services Australia about problems

The Guardian - AU

Government ignored warnings more than 100 companies may be misusing Centrepay scheme, Asic says

Services Australia’s failure to act ‘inexcusable’ and urgent action needed to help people struggling to get by, senators say

The Guardian - AU

AGL was warned it was wrongly taking welfare payments from former customers but failed to act, court hears

Exclusive: Documents suggest energy company and Services Australia knew of significant risk of incorrect deductions via Centrepay system

The Guardian - AU

Second energy firm wrongly received money from welfare payments under Centrepay scheme

Services Australia is working with Ergon to return overpayments, prompting fears the issue first identified at AGL could be widespread

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The Guardian - AU

‘I just kept paying’: Indigenous people are being exploited by businesses using Centrepay debit scheme

Many of those who sign up are from regional or remote communities, speak English as a second or third language and have limited access to clothing, household goods and services

The Guardian - AU

‘I had no access’: ex-residents of controversial rehab centre say welfare payments were taken against their wishes

Guardian Australia investigation reveals role of Centrepay in controlling income of residents at WA religious centre Esther House

The Guardian - AU

Energy giant wrongly received thousands from welfare payments of former customers under Centrelink scheme

Exclusive: Calls to overhaul controversial Centrepay debit system that diverted $700,000 to AGL and helped prop up Perth-based gay conversion centre

The Guardian - AU

Disability pension claims blew out to more than 80 days on average at the end of last year, data reveals

Department of Social Services figures show some areas had average wait times of more than 200 days between September and December

The Guardian - AU

Brain tumour patient had Centrelink payments suspended while in hospital recovering from surgery

Australian Council of Social Service says ‘unconscionable’ case shows why mutual obligations system must be ‘replaced with a fair system’ for jobseekers

The Guardian - AU

Services Australia apologises over Centrelink call centre performance as age pension claims hit by huge delays

New data reveals backlog of 1.1m claims across all payments while around half of all calls to Centrelink went unanswered in six-month period

AAP

More than 1m claims outstanding at Services Australia

The head of Services Australia has vowed to reduce the claims backlog at the department, with more than one million yet to be resolved.

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