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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2017/jun/29/centrelink-says-it-has-no-plans-to-use-robo-debt-system-to-target-pensioners
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| Centrelink says it has no plans to use robo-debt system to target pensioners | Centrelink says it has no plans to use robo-debt system to target pensioners |
| (5 days later) | |
| Centrelink has insisted it has no plans to use the automated debt recovery system to target aged pensioners from next week, despite concerns from Labor and some community groups. | Centrelink has insisted it has no plans to use the automated debt recovery system to target aged pensioners from next week, despite concerns from Labor and some community groups. |
| From Saturday, Centrelink will expand its data-matching program, which it uses to compare an individual’s reported income to records held by the tax office. | From Saturday, Centrelink will expand its data-matching program, which it uses to compare an individual’s reported income to records held by the tax office. |
| Centrelink will now begin using data-matching to consider whether a person’s earnings from trusts or family daycare make them ineligible for welfare. | Centrelink will now begin using data-matching to consider whether a person’s earnings from trusts or family daycare make them ineligible for welfare. |
| It will also continue to use data-matching to scrutinise a person’s earnings from assets and investments, a measure it hopes will save $980m over three years. But crucially, the department says it will still use humans to manually review discrepancies involving non-employment income. | It will also continue to use data-matching to scrutinise a person’s earnings from assets and investments, a measure it hopes will save $980m over three years. But crucially, the department says it will still use humans to manually review discrepancies involving non-employment income. |
| That sets it apart from the robo-debt system, which automatically begins a debt retrieval process whenever a discrepancy in income is detected through data-matching. | That sets it apart from the robo-debt system, which automatically begins a debt retrieval process whenever a discrepancy in income is detected through data-matching. |
| The lack of human oversight was the cause of a significant amount of the criticism of robo-debt. | The lack of human oversight was the cause of a significant amount of the criticism of robo-debt. |
| The departmental spokesman, general manager Hank Jongen, said individuals targeted for non-employment income types would liaise with the department on a specialised 1800 number. | The departmental spokesman, general manager Hank Jongen, said individuals targeted for non-employment income types would liaise with the department on a specialised 1800 number. |
| They would not use Centrelink’s online compliance portal, he said. | They would not use Centrelink’s online compliance portal, he said. |
| “The Department of Human Services will not be expanding the current online compliance system from 1 July to include older Australians who have earned income from their assets or investments,” Jongen said. | “The Department of Human Services will not be expanding the current online compliance system from 1 July to include older Australians who have earned income from their assets or investments,” Jongen said. |
| “The current online system only checks salary and wage income and will continue to be available for salary and wage earners who find this channel the most convenient to complete a review,” he said. | “The current online system only checks salary and wage income and will continue to be available for salary and wage earners who find this channel the most convenient to complete a review,” he said. |
| An inquiry into the robo-debt system had raised concerns that it would be expanded to target aged pensioners. Those concerns had been echoed by Labor and others. | An inquiry into the robo-debt system had raised concerns that it would be expanded to target aged pensioners. Those concerns had been echoed by Labor and others. |
| Jongen said the expansion of the compliance system from July 1 was aimed at scrutinising earnings from family daycare and trusts. He said few aged pensioners were expected to be earning from those income streams. | Jongen said the expansion of the compliance system from July 1 was aimed at scrutinising earnings from family daycare and trusts. He said few aged pensioners were expected to be earning from those income streams. |
| “From early July, the department will expand its compliance reviews of income from family daycare and trusts,” she said. | “From early July, the department will expand its compliance reviews of income from family daycare and trusts,” she said. |
| “The department does not expect many pensioners to initially be subject to these expanded measures, due to the nature of the income being reviewed. | “The department does not expect many pensioners to initially be subject to these expanded measures, due to the nature of the income being reviewed. |
| “Departmental compliance officers manually review these other forms of income earned.” | “Departmental compliance officers manually review these other forms of income earned.” |
| The expansion of data-matching was one of a suite of measures announced in last year’s midyear economic and fiscal outlook, which collectively are designed to save $2.1bn over the forward estimates. | The expansion of data-matching was one of a suite of measures announced in last year’s midyear economic and fiscal outlook, which collectively are designed to save $2.1bn over the forward estimates. |
| Meanwhile, there are conflicting reports about a significant change in staffing at Centrelink, which the union has claimed as a victory. | Meanwhile, there are conflicting reports about a significant change in staffing at Centrelink, which the union has claimed as a victory. |
| The Community and Public Sector Union said the department was planning to turn casual roles into 2,000 permanent jobs, mainly in the agency’s troubled call centres. | The Community and Public Sector Union said the department was planning to turn casual roles into 2,000 permanent jobs, mainly in the agency’s troubled call centres. |
| The national secretary, Nadine Flood, said it would help relieve pressure on an agency that has sustained repeated cuts in recent years – and help end unacceptable waiting times for phone calls to Centrelink. | The national secretary, Nadine Flood, said it would help relieve pressure on an agency that has sustained repeated cuts in recent years – and help end unacceptable waiting times for phone calls to Centrelink. |
| “People employed casually by DHS already make a valuable contribution, but giving them permanent jobs will mean they receive the comprehensive training that is required to fully help customers through sensitive issues and often complex processes,” Flood said. | “People employed casually by DHS already make a valuable contribution, but giving them permanent jobs will mean they receive the comprehensive training that is required to fully help customers through sensitive issues and often complex processes,” Flood said. |
| “The department deserves congratulations for taking this first step to turn around what has been an unacceptable slide in service standards.” | “The department deserves congratulations for taking this first step to turn around what has been an unacceptable slide in service standards.” |
| But the department has offered a different recruitment figure. | But the department has offered a different recruitment figure. |
| It says it is only recruiting for about 107 roles. A spokeswoman said that was part of “normal business processes”. | It says it is only recruiting for about 107 roles. A spokeswoman said that was part of “normal business processes”. |
| The department said it was also looking to “rebalance its staffing profile including ongoing employment”. | The department said it was also looking to “rebalance its staffing profile including ongoing employment”. |
| “Based on our current staffing levels, and forecast turnover, the department is currently in the process of conducting recruitment of some 107 roles,” she said. | “Based on our current staffing levels, and forecast turnover, the department is currently in the process of conducting recruitment of some 107 roles,” she said. |
| “Further advertising of positions will be dependent on staff turnover and business needs.” | “Further advertising of positions will be dependent on staff turnover and business needs.” |
| The news comes as the auditor general, Grant Hehir, rejected calls for a specific audit of the debt recovery system. The independent MP Andrew Wilkie made the request last month, but Hehir said the Commonwealth Ombudsman had already considered the system comprehensively. | The news comes as the auditor general, Grant Hehir, rejected calls for a specific audit of the debt recovery system. The independent MP Andrew Wilkie made the request last month, but Hehir said the Commonwealth Ombudsman had already considered the system comprehensively. |
| But he said the issues raised with the debt recovery system may be considered as part of a broader audit of welfare compliance measures in the coming year. | But he said the issues raised with the debt recovery system may be considered as part of a broader audit of welfare compliance measures in the coming year. |
| Labor and the CPSU have both sought to characterise Centrelink as an agency in crisis, particularly since problems with its debt recovery system began to emerge late last year. | Labor and the CPSU have both sought to characterise Centrelink as an agency in crisis, particularly since problems with its debt recovery system began to emerge late last year. |
| The agency has shed thousands of jobs in recent years. That includes a reduction in average staffing levels of 4,776 between 2010-11 to 2015-16. | The agency has shed thousands of jobs in recent years. That includes a reduction in average staffing levels of 4,776 between 2010-11 to 2015-16. |
| The CPSU said the debt recovery scandal was exacerbated by the pressure on the agency’s resources. | The CPSU said the debt recovery scandal was exacerbated by the pressure on the agency’s resources. |
| Flood said she expected the permanent roles to provide clear benefits to the department in terms of service delivery. | Flood said she expected the permanent roles to provide clear benefits to the department in terms of service delivery. |
| “DHS has been described as an agency in crisis,” Flood said.“These jobs will help repair that damage, while the department also needs to agree a fair and reasonable outcome to resolve enterprise bargaining and implement the key recommendations of last week’s inquiry report into robo-debt.” | “DHS has been described as an agency in crisis,” Flood said.“These jobs will help repair that damage, while the department also needs to agree a fair and reasonable outcome to resolve enterprise bargaining and implement the key recommendations of last week’s inquiry report into robo-debt.” |
| The spokeswoman for DHS said casual and non-ongoing staff would have to apply for the new roles and be considered on merit. | The spokeswoman for DHS said casual and non-ongoing staff would have to apply for the new roles and be considered on merit. |