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The Latest Breaking News from Services Australia

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

The Guardian - AU

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.

AAP

Jobseeker endured 11 weeks without Centrelink payments but was still forced to attend job agency appointments

Advocates say government failing to meet ‘basic obligation’ to process claims quickly after Tim McCabe spent weeks with ‘no income’

The Guardian - AU

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Top Australian debt collector still operating in Victoria despite blacklisting

Exclusive: Consumer Affairs Victoria investigating Panthera, which was fined $500,000 in 2020 after pursuing debts from people who were not liable

The Guardian - AU

‘You are deceased’: Services Australia bungle results in woman losing bank accounts and pension

A 74-year-old carer was mistakenly declared dead by Centrelink two times in a case advocates describe as illustrating the ‘devastating consequences of automation’

The Guardian - AU

Australian government spent $52m more on welfare calculator after finding a more effective alternative

Services Australia paid Infosys almost $200m over four years before technology was written off as a failure

The Guardian - AU

Two people were jailed for welfare debts that Centrelink may have calculated unlawfully

The cases are probably wrongful convictions and prosecutors should facilitate appeals, a legal expert says

The Guardian - AU

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Centrelink should consider waiving 100,000 debts that may be unlawful, ombudsman report finds

Watchdog says Services Australia and the Department of Social Services ‘did not act promptly’ to address the issue and calls on agencies to apologise

The Guardian - AU

Welfare recipients made to sweat on miscalculated debts

Public servants responsible for welfare payments have been told to hurry up and rectify the situation for those who were slugged with unlawful Centrelink debt.

AAP

For domestic violence victim-survivors, a data or privacy breach can be extraordinarily dangerous

A suite of recent cybersecurity data breaches highlight an urgent need to overhaul how companies and government agencies handle our data. But these incidents pose particular risks to victim-survivors of domestic violence.

The Conversation

Medicare Rebates Totalling More Than $230 Million Still Need To Be Claimed By Aussies

You might be owed a good chunk of cash.

Pedestrian.tv

Fresh appeal in battle over secret robodebt documents

The release of potentially explosive government documents on the illegal robodebt scheme is being sought in an appeal against a ruling to keep them under wraps.

AAP

Marie had cancer and needed to reach Centrelink. Like millions of Australians, she couldn’t get through

More unanswered calls, growing delays for payments to be processed, all while staff head for the exit. Is Centrelink facing a new crisis?

The Guardian - AU

Robodebt royal commission: Labor accepts all 56 recommendations in full or in principle

Albanese government releases formal response to Catherine Holmes’s inquiry into Centrelink debt recovery scheme

The Guardian - AU

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Pedestrian.tv

Centrelink Is In A Crisis With No End In Sight As Almost 20% Of Staff Are Ready To Resign

Staff morale is at an all time low, with almost 200 resignations a month.

The Guardian - AU

Up to 180 staff leaving Services Australia each month amid growing delays for Centrelink services

Greens senator Janet Rice says welfare agency in crisis after Senate hears nearly 20% plan to depart in next 12 months

AAP

Staffing boost returns humans to Centrelink services

Thousands more frontline workers are being hired to improve Centrelink and Medicare services, in line with recommendations from the robodebt royal commission.

The Canberra Times

Services Australia targets call wait times with 3000 extra staff

About 500 staff will be in Canberra.

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The Guardian - AU

Centrelink officials recalled to Senate estimates after failing to answer ‘basic questions’

Request for welfare agency to return on 7 November follows ‘unnaceptable’ October hearing about growing call and payment wait times

The Guardian - AU

Dozens of Centrelink fraud prosecutions dropped due to unlawful welfare debt calculations

Services Australia and prosecutors are unable to say exactly how many past convictions may be affected

Pedestrian.tv

Centrelink Pauses 86,000 Debts Due To ‘Unlawful’ Miscalculations & Anyone Else Got Robo-Déjà vu?

Centrelink have put the debt repayments of 86,000 recipients on pause after an investigation found it breached security law.

The Guardian - AU

Services Australia forced to pause Centrelink debt repayments for 86,000 people amid legality concerns

Debt pause comes after watchdog found historical ‘income apportionment’ method breached social security law

The Guardian - AU

Majority of Centrelink payments facing significant delays since Labor took office

New documents reveal 27 of 32 claim types including jobseeker experiencing blowout in wait times after return to pre-pandemic staffing levels

The Guardian - AU

Centrelink issues 2.8m busy messages to callers in only two months as wait times blow out

Crossbench MPs raise alarm with minister as Services Australia data shows only 23% of calls were answered in July and August

AAP

Busy message greets one-in-five welfare agency callers

Millions of people making calls for help to Services Australia are hanging up in frustration after being left hanging on the telephone.

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RoboDebt Royal Commission

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the Department of Social Services

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the robodebt royal commission

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