Calls for ‘blinkered’ robodebt officials to face music
The federal public servants involved in the robodebt scheme broke the rules multiple times but some won't face sanctions because they have resigned or retired.
pension and welfare
Struggle for Aussies on income support ‘national shame’
Almost three-quarters of Australians receiving income support are cutting back on essentials including food due to the rising cost of living, a survey shows.
‘Worst ever’: low-income earners hit by soaring rents
Crushing rent increases are becoming the new normal with lower-income earners and people on welfare priced out of the market, Anglicare Australia has warned.
House prices may surge if buyers use super for deposits
If homebuyers use super to put down a deposit, median house prices will increase across the nation and young people will be no better off, modelling reveals.
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.
Millions of Australians receive welfare payment boost
The social services sector is warning small boosts to welfare will not address inequality, with the payments still keeping people well below the poverty line.
Rich Aussies might have to pay for aged care with super
Wealthy Australians might need to save a portion of their superannuation to pay for their own aged care as the government looks for ways to fund the sector.
Boost for welfare payments as calls grow for more
Welfare recipients will get an increase in their payments after key legislation passed federal parliament.
Aboriginal man loses bid to receive age pension early
Aboriginal man Dennis James Fisher has lost a Federal Court case arguing he should have access to age pension sooner because of his shorter life expectancy.
Aboriginal man frustrated after loss in age pension bid
Aboriginal man Dennis James Fisher has lost a Federal Court case arguing he should have access to age pension sooner because of his shorter life expectancy.
Labor accused of failing rethink of cashless card
The government has launched an inquiry into draft laws seeking to quarantine parts of welfare payments in a bid to reduce violence in vulnerable communities.
Calls mount to lift payment cut-off for single parents
The federal government is under pressure to restore eligibility of the single parenting payment until a child turns 16 rather than a lower threshold.
Macron under pressure to find way out of pension crisis
French President Emmanuel Macron is under pressure to find a way out of the pension reform crisis as hundreds of thousands join a ninth day of protests.
France delays King’s visit amid massive demonstrations
President Emmanuel Macron's pension plan and calls for a new round of demonstrations next week have persuaded officials to postpone a visit by King Charles III.
Funds accused of ‘greenwashing’ by market lobby group
The environment-focussed lobby group Market Forces has criticised five super funds for not doing enough to challenge the fossil fuel firms they invest in.
Mother’s pain on full display as robodebt hearings wrap
A royal commission's final public hearing has shone a spotlight on the lasting impact of the illegal robodebt scheme.
Department was ‘double-crossed’ on legality of robodebt
A federal government department overseeing the robodebt scheme misled another about the legality of the scheme, the royal commission has heard.
‘Bizarre’ debt notices flagged by Centrelink employees
Two former Centrelink employees have told a royal commission their concerns with the way robodebt was operating were repeatedly dismissed.
‘So sad, too bad’ response to robodebt impacts
The royal commission into robodebt has heard from a former Centrelink social worker whose concerns about the impacts of the scheme were repeatedly dismissed.
Department misled independent watchdog on robodebt
Key documents flagging robodebt's potential illegality were withheld from the independent watchdog investigating the department running the scheme.
Top bureaucrat failed to notice major robodebt change
A former secretary of the departments that ran robodebt missed a key change to a ministerial brief which misrepresented how income would be assessed.
Support for super shake-up won’t spark more changes
The workplace relations minister says popular approval for raising tax rates on large super balances does not mean further changes are coming.
Turnbull queried fairness but not legality of robodebt
Malcolm Turnbull says his main concern with the flawed robodebt scheme was with the accuracy of debts being sent to welfare recipients.
Former PM Turnbull to appear at robodebt commission
Malcolm Turnbull will give evidence to the robodebt royal commission during the final week of hearings into the scheme.
Ex-minister defends response to robodebt legal advice
Former minister Stuart Robert says he had to continue defending robodebt publicly despite personally believing the way debts were averaged was incorrect.
Ex-minister planned agency split despite service impact
Former coalition minister Stuart Robert planned to split a department into four agencies despite advice about the proposal's negative customer service impact.
Robodebt made victim ‘feel like a cheat’, inquiry told
A man wrongfully accused of owing the government $11,000 has told a royal commission how the robodebt program made him feel like a criminal and a cheat.
Ex-Liberal minister Stuart Robert faces robodebt inquiry
A former minister accused of dismissing legal advice from the solicitor-general about the unlawfulness of the robodebt scheme will face the royal commission.
Public servants afraid to speak out, hearing told
Public servants were afraid to raise problems with former coalition ministers because of the potential consequences for their jobs, an inquiry has heard.
Lost and unclaimed super reaches $16 billion, ATO says
Tax authorities have found another $2.1 billion in lost and unclaimed superannuation since last financial year, taking the nation's total to $16 billion.
Income averaging a longstanding practice, inquiry told
A former ministerial advisor has told the robodebt royal commission that income averaging had been used by "governments of both colours" for a long time.