Centrelink's compliance program

September 2020

© Commonwealth of Australia 2020
ISBN: 978-1-76093-096-7

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Committee Members

Terms of Reference

Abbreviations

List of Recommendations

Note on Previous Reports

Chapter 1—Introduction and background

  Reasons for this interim report
  History of the Income Compliance Program
  Online systems used under the program
  Previous inquiries into the program
  Conduct of this inquiry

Chapter 2—The human cost of compliance

  A program with a devastating impact
  Ongoing impacts of the Income Compliance Program
  Flow-on effects to the community sector and Services Australia staff
  Committee view

Chapter 3—Legal concerns and issues for ongoing inquiry

  Averaged income isn't real income
  Income averaging is not a legal proof of debt
  Reversing the onus of proving a debt
  Current status of the program
  The committee's next steps

Government Senators' Dissenting Comments

  Overarching concerns
  Legal insufficiency
  History of Income Compliance
  ‘Robodebt’ and automation
  Program improvements
  Debt raising
  Impacts and mental health
  Public Interest Immunity issues
  Refunds and Income Compliance Moving Forward

Committee Secretariat contact:

Committee Secretary
Senate Standing Committees on Community Affairs
PO Box 6100
Parliament House
Canberra ACT 2600

Phone: +61 2 6277 3515
community.affairs.sen@aph.gov.au