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.
pension and welfare
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.
Tudge advisers to front robodebt inquiry
The royal commission into the unlawful robodebt scheme continues as advisers to former human services minister Alan Tudge are called to appear.
Robodebt victims stood ‘ice cube’s chance in hell’
The robodebt commissioner has chastised a former bureaucrat over how the government proceeded with the unlawful debt collection scheme despite legal warnings.
Top lawyer admits ‘uncertainty’ of robodebt legality
A former leading lawyer for the federal government says there was an undesirable level of uncertainty within the department on the legality of robodebt.
Anguished mum tells how robodebt let down her late son
Jennifer Miller has told the robodebt royal commission of the trauma inflicted on her son, who took his own life after being pursued over a Centrelink debt.
Robodebt royal commission extended by two months
The report into the unlawful robodebt scheme will now be handed down at the end of June, rather than the original April deadline.
Robodebt royal commission begins last round of hearings
Three weeks of hearings will be held as part of the fourth and final block of the royal commission into the controversial robodebt system.
‘Nod and a wink’ to bury damning report into robodebt
The royal commissioner examining the robodebt scheme has suggested the department responsible may have given a "nod and a wink" to bury a damning report.
Minister denies responsibility for robodebt legal check
Former human services minister Alan Tudge has denied responsibility for his department's failure to check the legality of the robodebt scheme.
Ex-minister says he wasn’t given robodebt legal advice
Former social services minister Christian Porter has told the robodebt royal commission he never received legal advice that raised issues with the scheme.
Minister asked for files on robodebt whistleblowers
A media adviser to former minister Alan Tudge has told a royal commission he requested the Centrelink files of those who spoke out in the media on robodebt.
‘Stretched resources’ behind no advice
The royal commission into robodebt has heard a decision not to obtain external legal advice on the scheme was due to stretched resources in the department.
Department ignored robodebt legal advice
Senior officials in departments administering the Centrelink robodebt scheme ignored key legal advice saying the program was illegal.
Lawyer ignored tribunal’s robodebt finding
A government lawyer told staff they could keep using an unlawful debt collection method as long as they'd tried other ways first, a royal commission has heard.
‘Flawed assumptions’ underpinned robodebt
A Human Services department official admits the legal framework behind the robodebt scheme contained "flawed assumptions".
Victim’s terror over false $65k robodebt
An aged pensioner has spoken of the terror and trauma when hit with a false $65,000 debt thanks to the unlawful robodebt income calculation method.
homelessness
housing and urban planning
inflation and deflation
pension and welfare
politics (general)
poverty
social issues (general)
wage and pension
welfare
Surging Qld rents sapping living standards
Thousands of Queensland households are spending more than a third of their income on rent and are unable to meet basic living standards, a new report suggests.
Westpac ordered to fork out $29m in compo
Westpac customers in their thousands stand to share in compensation worth nearly $30 million following a successful class action over superannuation fees.
‘Horror budget’ paved the way for robodebt
Successive Liberal government crackdowns on welfare fraud led many on social services to feel like criminals and paved the way for robodebt, an inquiry heard.
Morrison clashes with robodebt inquiry
Former PM Scott Morrison has claimed he was not privy to departmental discussions over the legality of robodebt in a colourful royal commission hearing.
Robodebt concerns ‘dropped’ from briefings
Former minister Marise Payne says she doesn't know how concerns over the legality of the controversial robodebt scheme were left out of policy proposals.
Top officials shut down robodebt criticism
A senior public servant has told the robodebt royal commission he was instructed to not "go in so hard" questioning the legality of the disastrous scheme.
Robodebt proposals created amid ‘pressure’
A public servant has denied at the robodebt royal commission that income averaging was fundamental to proposals, while telling of "ever-increasing" workloads.
Morrison was warned robodebt unlawful
Former prime minister Scott Morrison was warned the robodebt scheme would require law changes, but it was implemented anyway without any legislative tweaks.
Morrison’s secrecy appeal before hearing
Former prime minister Scott Morrison is asking for redacted documents to be opened up to the public before he fronts the robodebt royal commission.
Robodebt officials ‘co-wrote’ vital report
Human Services department officials had the opportunity to contribute to a Commonwealth Ombudsman report
Pensioner concessions to free up housing
New laws encouraging pensioners and welfare recipients to downsize their homes and free up stock for younger families have been passed by parliament.
Public servant ‘ashamed’ about robodebt
An ex-deputy department secretary says she should have done more to stop the robodebt scheme from running as long as it did but she "lacked courage".
Robodebt rolled out despite pilot problems
Two senior public servants involved in the robodebt program have given evidence to the royal commission about how it was rolled out despite legal issues.