5 years ago
DEPARTMENT STUMPED ON HOW ROBODEBT IS LEGAL
BILL SHORTEN MP
The Government Department responsible for robodebt has been unable to identify the legal foundations of the controversial scheme.
Under questioning by Labor senators in Senate Estimates late last night the head of the Department of Human Services and other senior bureaucrats were at a loss to identify the legal basis for the reverse onus scheme and took a series of questions on notice.
This is despite a litany of complaints about the malfunctioning scheme’s unfairness and likely illegality from former tribunal members, legal experts, the United Nations, and a looming class action by victims of the scheme.
It is increasingly clear when it comes to issuing debt notices to Australians Stuart Robert’s Department shoots first and asks questions later.
Robodebt is a stain on the civic life of this great nation. It is harsh and inaccurate and has been wrong nearly a quarter of a million times.
It is not just immoral but almost certainly illegal. The Department’s silence on this point speaks volumes.
Labor does not object to debt collection and data matching in themselves but robodebt lacks proper human oversight and accountability.
Robodebt must be scrapped immediately.
Under questioning by Labor senators in Senate Estimates late last night the head of the Department of Human Services and other senior bureaucrats were at a loss to identify the legal basis for the reverse onus scheme and took a series of questions on notice.
This is despite a litany of complaints about the malfunctioning scheme’s unfairness and likely illegality from former tribunal members, legal experts, the United Nations, and a looming class action by victims of the scheme.
It is increasingly clear when it comes to issuing debt notices to Australians Stuart Robert’s Department shoots first and asks questions later.
Robodebt is a stain on the civic life of this great nation. It is harsh and inaccurate and has been wrong nearly a quarter of a million times.
It is not just immoral but almost certainly illegal. The Department’s silence on this point speaks volumes.
Labor does not object to debt collection and data matching in themselves but robodebt lacks proper human oversight and accountability.
Robodebt must be scrapped immediately.