Robodebt debacle: Australians are reimbursed $545MILLION after scheme to claw back welfare over-payments was ruled unlawful
- Australians who paid the government money have been reimbursed $545million
- Robodebt scheme matched tax and Centrelink data to claw back overpayments
- Government announced in May it would repay all debts, estimated $721million
Australians who paid the government money through the controversial robodebt scheme have been reimbursed $545million.
Department of Social Services officials told a Senate inquiry on Monday the $545million figure amounted to about 80 per cent of cases.
The automated welfare recovery scheme matched Australian Taxation Office and Centrelink data to claw back overpaid welfare payments.
Australians who paid the government money through the controversial robodebt scheme have been reimbursed $545million (stock image)
It was ruled unlawful last year, with the Federal Court saying Centrelink could not have been satisfied the debt was correct.
The Morrison government announced in May it would repay all debts, estimated to cost about $721million.
Department secretary Kathryn Campbell acknowledged the scheme caused hurt and harm, and that it was ‘legally insufficient’.
‘I believe there were many people who felt uneasy, frustrated, had some difficulty managing through this system,’ she said.
Labor senator Deborah O’Neill read Ms Campbell a letter from a mother whose son died after receiving multiple letters through the system saying he owed up to $17,000.
‘Of course we apologise for the hurt and harm caused to that family. That is a tragic story. No one wants that to happen,’ Ms Campbell said.
The scheme is facing a class action lawsuit.