Dignity Not Debt: End Centrelink Debt Debacle

1. Abolish Debt Recovery Scheme
2. Dignity for Social Security Recipients
3. Restore Adequate Funding to Centrelink
4. Lift Payments Above the Poverty Line

Since the Coalition (supported by Labor) introduced the Debt Recovery System in July 2016, Centrelink has sent 20,000 debt notices per week to social security recipients. At least 20% of these notices are wrong. As a result of the Government’s broken system, tens of thousands of vulnerable Australians are being harassed by Centrelink and private debt collectors for debts they do not even owe. This is a disgrace.

The Coalition has gone out of its way to make dealing with Centrelink a humiliating and difficult experience for millions of low income Australians. Despite the well documented problems with Centrelink’s phone system, online portal, application process, and front-line offices to name only a few, the Coalition has continually refused to address these problems let alone acknowledge them. Australia’s social security recipients deserve better.

Over the last 5 years, more than 5,000 Centrelink staff have been sacked. Consequently, Centrelink have been unable to keep up with the rising demand for its services. Last year alone 36 million calls to Centrelink went unanswered. Due to Australia’s rising population, it is estimated that each year the number of calls to Centrelink increase by 3 million.

Australia’s expenditure on social security payments is one of the lowest in the OECD. As a result, every social security payment sit well below the Henderson poverty line.