Linda Burney (Barton, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Human Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. I refer to reports today that the government's robo-debt program is now targeting the homeless and people with mental illness, impairments and chronic illness. Given that the government's own figures show that the robo-debt program has got it wrong on almost 20,000 occasions, why is the government continuing to target the most vulnerable people in Australia?

Michael Keenan (Stirling, Liberal Party, Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Digital Transformation) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for that question, and I think it gives me a chance to correct the record, from some of the inaccuracies contained in those reports. I start by saying that there is a fundamental principle within our welfare system—that is, when somebody has been overpaid money either inadvertently, because they've told us the wrong information, or deliberately, when they've given us incorrect information, they are required to repay that money. That fundamental principle of our welfare system has been upheld by governments of this political persuasion and by governments of that political persuasion.

Mr Dreyfus interjecting—

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Isaacs will cease interjecting.

Michael Keenan (Stirling, Liberal Party, Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Digital Transformation) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I have a media release here from 2011 issued by the now Leader of the Opposition and the now Deputy Leader of the Opposition, who were then the Assistant Treasurer and the Minister for Human Services. The release is headed 'Welfare debt recovery process to be automated'. The release goes on to brag about the compliance efforts that were undertaken by the Gillard government in 2011. The now Deputy Leader of the Opposition goes on to say:

… if people fail to come to an arrangement to settle their debts, the Government has a responsibility to taxpayers to recover that money.

Mr Brian Mitchell interjecting—

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Lyons is warned.

Michael Keenan (Stirling, Liberal Party, Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Digital Transformation) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Not only is it an important principle within the welfare system but it is actually also the law. The Social Security Act 1991 demands that the government recover debts where people have been paid money from the social security system that they are not entitled to, and we will continue to uphold that principle. The question is how to go about that. There are groups of people who have debts to the Commonwealth and find themselves in special circumstances, and, when that is the case, we take into account the special circumstances in which they find themselves. Where somebody who has been identified as vulnerable has a debt, we work with them to update their income details, and we understand the need to deal with these people sensitively. Debts are not raised unless a person has been contacted and has discussed their individual circumstances with their department. In cases where a debt is raised, my department will work closely with people on an appropriate repayment plan and to organise options for that person to repay the money. There are 700 social workers within the Department of Human Services that can help us do that. Considering the vulnerabilities of some people that owe us debts, I have asked that the trial we had conducted here be put on pause whilst we make sure that, when we go to recover these debts, we are doing it in the most sensitive way possible. That trial will not proceed until I am satisfied that that is the case.